Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

सर्वलक्षणसंभार संभृतो गुरुवत्सलः । तताप तापसीं वृत्तिं काश्यां स महतीं दधत

Transliteration

sarvalakṣaṇasaṃbhāra saṃbhṛto guruvatsalaḥ | tatāpa tāpasīṃ vṛttiṃ kāśyāṃ sa mahatīṃ dadhata

Translation

Pourvu de tous les signes de bon augure et plein d’affection pour son maître, il entreprit à Kāśī une grande discipline d’ascèse, demeurant dans la voie sublime d’un tapasvin.

Word by Word

• सर्वलक्षणसंभारः: collection of all marks/qualities
• सर्वलक्षणसंभारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + लक्षण + संभार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सर्वेषां लक्षणानां संभारः’

• संभृतः: fully endowed
• संभृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संभृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √भृ with सम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त/क्त (well-equipped/fully endowed)

• गुरुवत्सलः: devoted to his teacher
• गुरुवत्सलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘गुरौ वत्सलः’ (affectionate to the teacher)

• तताप: performed austerity / practiced penance
• तताप: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• तापसीम्: ascetic
• तापसीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तापसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• वृत्तिम्: mode of life, conduct
• वृत्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• महतīm: great
• महतīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• दधत: he holds/maintains
• दधत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; वैदिक/छान्दस-रूप (दधत् = दधाति)

Speaker

Śiva’s Gaṇas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ascetic Āṅgirasa in Kāśī: simple hut/āśrama near ghats, controlled posture (standing or seated in meditation), subtle signs of guru-reverence (offering water/flowers to a teacher’s seat or sandals).

Characters & Entities

• Āṅgirasa
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is depicted as an ideal ground for tapas, supported by humility and devotion to one’s teacher.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), praised as the setting for profound ascetic practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity/ascetic observance) is indicated, though no specific vrata details are given.