Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

प्राणायामश्च तपसां मंत्राणां प्रणवो यथा । धर्माणामप्यहिंसा च काम्यानां श्रीर्यथा वरा

Transliteration

prāṇāyāmaśca tapasāṃ maṃtrāṇāṃ praṇavo yathā | dharmāṇāmapyahiṃsā ca kāmyānāṃ śrīryathā varā

Translation

Just as prāṇāyāma is foremost among austerities, and Praṇava (Oṃ) among mantras; just as non-violence (ahiṃsā) is supreme among dharmas, and Śrī the best among desired boons—so too does the praised tīrtha excel.

Word by Word

• प्राणायामः: breath-control (prāṇāyāma)
• प्राणायामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण-आयाम (प्रातिपदिक; प्राण + आयाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• तपसाम्: of austerities
• तपसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• मन्त्राणाम्: of mantras
• मन्त्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• प्रणवः: Praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा/प्रकार-अव्ययम् (just as)

• धर्माणाम्: of dharmas/duties
• धर्माणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्ययम् (also, even)

• अहिंसा: non-violence
• अहिंसा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहिंसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• काम्यानाम्: of desire-motivated (rites)
• काम्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; (काम्यकर्म/काम्यव्रतादि)

• श्रीः: prosperity, fortune
• श्रीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा/प्रकार-अव्ययम् (just as)

• वरा: excellent, best
• वरा: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying श्रीः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī tīrtha (Gaṅgā/Viśveśvara sphere, implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four emblematic motifs—yogi in prāṇāyāma, glowing Oṃ, compassionate figure practicing ahiṃsā, and Lakṣmī/Śrī bestowing auspiciousness—converge toward the sacred tīrtha backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Prāṇāyāma
• Praṇava (Oṃ)
• Ahiṃsā
• Śrī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual life has central pillars—discipline, sacred sound, and compassion—used here to frame the highest excellence of the sacred context.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Contextually, the Gaṅgā-tīrtha in Kāśī is being praised as ‘foremost’ like Oṃ among mantras.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prāṇāyāma and reverence for Praṇava (Oṃ) are referenced as exemplary practices; ahiṃsā is upheld as a paramount dharma.