Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

शिशिरे जलमध्यस्थो वर्षास्वभ्रावकाशकः । तपर्तौ पंचवह्निस्थः कदाचिदिति तप्तवान्

Transliteration

śiśire jalamadhyastho varṣāsvabhrāvakāśakaḥ | tapartau paṃcavahnisthaḥ kadāciditi taptavān

Translation

In winter he stood immersed midstream in water; in the rainy season he remained exposed beneath the open sky; and in the heat-season he sat amidst the five fires—thus did he practice austerity continually.

Word by Word

• शिशिरे: in winter
• शिशिरे: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; ऋतुवाचक

• जलमध्यस्थः: standing in the middle of water
• जलमध्यस्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (जलस्य मध्ये स्थितः)

• वर्षासु: in the rainy seasons
• वर्षासु: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन

• अभ्रावकाशकः: staying in the open under clouds (exposed to rain)
• अभ्रावकाशकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अवकाश (प्रातिपदिक) + क (प्रातिपदिक/तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अभ्रस्य अवकाशः; तत्र स्थित/कर्ता)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन (अर्थतः कर्म)

• ऋतौ: in the season
• ऋतौ: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• पञ्चवह्निस्थः: situated amid five fires
• पञ्चवह्निस्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (पञ्चसु वह्निषु/वह्निभिः स्थितः)

• कदाचित्: sometimes
• कदाचित्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-अव्यय (at some time)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक-निपात

• तप्तवान्: having performed austerity
• तप्तवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तप् (धातु) (कृदन्त: क्तवत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त (perfect participle), कर्तरि प्रयोग; अर्थतः ‘तपः अकरोत्’

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (context of Yama’s tapas)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viśālākṣī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Triptych-like depiction of Yama’s tapas: winter—standing immersed in river water; monsoon—standing under open sky amid rain clouds; summer—seated amid five fires (four around, sun above), face calm and unwavering.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• pañcāgni-tapas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas is portrayed as steadfast endurance across conditions—an inner firmness that transcends comfort and climate.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative context remains Kāśī/Ānandavana, supporting the sanctity of the Dharmapīṭha setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pañcāgni-tapas (austerity amid five fires) and related seasonal disciplines are described as forms of tapas.