Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

व्रतोपवासनियमैः परिक्षीणकलेवरः । मध्याह्ने निर्जने तत्र द्रक्ष्यस्येकं तपोधनम्

Transliteration

vratopavāsaniyamaiḥ parikṣīṇakalevaraḥ | madhyāhne nirjane tatra drakṣyasyekaṃ tapodhanam

Translation

Worn down in body by vows, fasting, and strict observances, at midday in that solitary place you will behold a single ascetic—one whose true wealth is tapas, austerity.

Word by Word

• व्रतोपवासनियमैः: by vows, fasting, and restraints
• व्रतोपवासनियमैः: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + उपवास (प्रातिपदिक) + नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः: व्रतं च उपवासश्च नियमाश्च (द्वन्द्व), तृतीया-हेतौ/साधने

• परिक्षीणकलेवरः: with a body worn away (emaciated)
• परिक्षीणकलेवरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-क्षी (धातु) + कलेवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) क्षी + क्त = क्षीण, उपसर्गः परि; समासः: परिक्षीणं कलेवरं यस्य (बहुव्रीह्यर्थेऽपि सम्भवः), प्रायः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-रूपेण प्रयोगः

• मध्याह्ने: at midday
• मध्याह्ने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्याह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• निर्जने: in a solitary place
• निर्जने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; स्थानविशेषण

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), देशवाचक

• द्रक्ष्यसि: you will see
• द्रक्ष्यसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future/लृट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; धातुः: दृश् (पश्यति)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• तपोधनम्: an ascetic rich in austerity
• तपोधनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: तपसः धनम् (तपस्वी/महर्षिः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and Naimiṣāraṇya sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone ascetic in a quiet, sunlit midday grove/courtyard corner of Kāśī—emaciated from fasting, seated or standing in stillness; the seeker approaches with reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Tapodhana (ascetic)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas, vrata, and niyama refine the seeker and lead to darśana of realized beings in a holy field.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the Kāśī-kṣetra narrative, describing a secluded spot within Kāśī where an ascetic is seen.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata (vows), upavāsa (fasting), and niyama (disciplines) as spiritual practices.