Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

मृदुलानि तवांगानि क्वेमानि क्व तपस्त्विदम् । परुषं पुरुषैः साध्यं परुषांगैर्नरर्षभ

Transliteration

mṛdulāni tavāṃgāni kvemāni kva tapastvidam | paruṣaṃ puruṣaiḥ sādhyaṃ paruṣāṃgairnararṣabha

Translation

Your limbs are tender—what connection do they have with this hard austerity? Severe tapas is to be accomplished by hardened men with hardened bodies, O bull among men.

Word by Word

• मृदुलानि: soft, tender
• मृदुलानि: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nom/Acc plural; adjective)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Genitive singular pronoun)

• अङ्गानि: limbs
• अङ्गानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc plural)

• क्व: where
• क्व: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: 'where?')

• इमानि: these
• इमानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (Neuter, Nom/Acc plural pronoun)

• क्व: where
• क्व: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc singular)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Neuter, Nom/Acc singular pronoun)

• परुषम्: harsh, severe
• परुषम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nom/Acc singular; adjective)

• पुरुषैः: by men
• पुरुषैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental plural)

• साध्यम्: to be accomplished/achievable
• साध्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √साध् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: 'to be accomplished')

• परुषाङ्गैः: with harsh limbs
• परुषाङ्गैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परुष + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (Neuter, Instrumental plural; 'harsh limbs')

• नरर्षभ: O bull among men
• नरर्षभ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (Vocative singular; 'bull among men')

Speaker

Sunīti (Dhruva’s mother), advising Dhruva (contextual, Dhruva narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An elder (mentor/parent/minister) gently admonishes a tender-limbed youth seated in a simple ascetic posture, emphasizing the harshness of tapas; background hints of Kāśī’s sacred ambience.

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva
• Hari (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It highlights the perceived mismatch between youthful delicacy and severe austerity, setting up the theme of steadfast resolve overcoming worldly objections.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa framework, indirectly supporting Kāśī’s dharma-setting narrative rather than naming a specific tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; it discusses the suitability and difficulty of tapas.