Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

तथापि तापसा मान्याः स्वश्रेयोवृद्धिकांक्षिभिः । अक्रोधनाः क्रोधना वा का चिंता हि तपस्विनाम्

Transliteration

tathāpi tāpasā mānyāḥ svaśreyovṛddhikāṃkṣibhiḥ | akrodhanāḥ krodhanā vā kā ciṃtā hi tapasvinām

Translation

Even so, ascetics should be honored by those who seek the increase of their own welfare. Whether they are free from anger or prone to anger—what concern is that to the seeker when dealing with tapasvins?

Word by Word

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb ‘thus/so’)

• अपि: even/however
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवाद-निपात (particle ‘also/even/however’)

• तापसाः: ascetics
• तापसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तापस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• मान्याः: worthy of honor
• मान्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• स्वश्रेयोवृद्धिकाङ्क्षिभिः: by those who desire growth of their own good
• स्वश्रेयोवृद्धिकाङ्क्षिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + काङ्क्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘by those desiring the increase of their own welfare’

• अक्रोधनाः: not angry
• अक्रोधनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- (उपसर्ग/नञ्) + क्रोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; नञ्-समासार्थक विशेषण ‘non-angry’

• क्रोधनाः: angry
• क्रोधनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• का: what?
• का: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• चिन्ता: worry/concern
• चिन्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• तपस्विनाम्: of ascetics
• तपस्विनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (narrating practical dharma for pilgrims/householders)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-seeker offers respectful service to an ascetic who may be serene or irritable; the focus is on the seeker’s steady humility, not the ascetic’s expression.

Characters & Entities

• Tāpasas (ascetics)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

For one’s own śreyas (spiritual good), honoring tapasvins is advised; do not fixate on their moods—maintain reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is situated within Kāśīkhaṇḍa, guiding conduct in sacred spaces like Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A behavioral prescription: show māna (honor/respect) to ascetics as part of dharmic conduct.