Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

पुरात्र वृद्धहारीतो वाराणस्यां महातपाः । महातपः समृद्ध्यर्थं समाराधितवान्रविम्

Transliteration

purātra vṛddhahārīto vārāṇasyāṃ mahātapāḥ | mahātapaḥ samṛddhyarthaṃ samārādhitavānravim

Translation

Formerly, in Vārāṇasī, the great ascetic Vṛddhahārīta worshipped Ravi (the Sun) for the flourishing success of his mighty austerities.

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Adhikarana (Temporal locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• वृद्धहारीतः: Vṛddhahārīta (name of a sage)
• वृद्धहारीतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धहारीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• महातपाः: a great ascetic
• महातपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महातपस् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• महातपः: great austerity (as goal/for increase)
• महातपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महातपस् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• समृद्ध्यर्थम्: for the sake of prosperity/success
• समृद्ध्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समृद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थे (in sense of purpose)

• समाराधितवान्: having worshipped/propitiated
• समाराधितवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-राध् (धातु) + क्तवत् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (agentive)

• रविम्: the Sun
• रविम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vṛddhāditya (contextual lead-in) / Kāśī Sūrya-upāsanā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An aged, powerful ascetic (Vṛddhahārīta) in Kāśī performs intense worship to the rising Sun on the riverbank, seeking the strengthening of his austerities.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛddhahārīta
• Vārāṇasī
• Ravi (Sūrya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even great tapas is strengthened and made fruitful through devoted worship of the deity—here, Sūrya—at a sacred place.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī), as the setting where the Vṛddhāditya tradition is rooted.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Samārādhana (propitiatory worship) of Ravi/Sūrya to support spiritual practice.