Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

तपोजपव्रतस्नानौः साध्यंत्यात्मनः परम् । यज्ञांगसाधनैः कांश्चित्कंदादिफलदानतः

Transliteration

tapojapavratasnānauḥ sādhyaṃtyātmanaḥ param | yajñāṃgasādhanaiḥ kāṃścitkaṃdādiphaladānataḥ

Translation

Through austerity, mantra-recitation (japa), vows, and sacred bathing, people attain the highest good of the Self (Ātman). And by providing certain necessities that serve as limbs of sacrifice—by giving roots, fruits, and the like—they also gain merit.

Word by Word

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा (Nominative, Singular)

• जप: recitation
• जप: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा (Nominative, Singular)

• व्रत: vow
• व्रत: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा (Nominative, Singular)

• स्नानौः: bath/ablution
• स्नानौः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा (Nominative, Singular); पाठभेदे ‘स्नानं’ अपेक्षितम् (orthographic/reading issue)

• साध्यन्ति: accomplish
• साध्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: साध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुषः; बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• आत्मनः: of the self
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; षष्ठी (Genitive, Singular)

• परम्: the highest (goal)
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; द्वितीया (Accusative, Singular)

• यज्ञाङ्गसाधनैः: by means of sacrificial requisites
• यज्ञाङ्गसाधनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + अङ्ग + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: यज्ञस्य अङ्गानि (षष्ठी) + साधनैः (तत्पुरुषः; ‘means for the limbs of sacrifice’); नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; बहुवचनम्; तृतीया (Instrumental, Plural)

• कांश्चित्: some (persons/things)
• कांश्चित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अनिश्चित-प्रत्यययुक्त सर्वनाम (indefinite ‘some’); पुंलिङ्गे; बहुवचनम्; द्वितीया (Accusative, Plural)

• कन्दादिफलदानतः: from (the act of) giving fruits like roots, etc.
• कन्दादिफलदानतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कन्द + आदि + फल + दान + तस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: समासः: कन्द-आदि-फल-दान (तत्पुरुष-समाहार) + तस् (ablatival adverbial suffix); अव्यय (adverb) ‘from/through giving fruits like roots’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa), narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Forest-tīrtha associated with the mountain refuge (contextual)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: the mountain/refuge context (addressed earlier as Achala/Bhūdhara)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ascetics perform japa and austerities near a sacred water spot; devotees offer baskets of roots and fruits as yajña-supporting gifts.

Characters & Entities

• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner uplift arises from disciplined practice (tapas, japa, vrata, snāna) and from generosity that supports sacred rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse gives general dharmic means for merit and spiritual progress.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (sacred bathing), japa, vrata, and dāna of yajña-auxiliaries such as roots and fruits are mentioned.