Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

चरणौ विष्णुशरणौ हित्वा नारायणांगणम् । तस्य नो चरतोन्यत्र चरतो विपुलं तपः

Transliteration

caraṇau viṣṇuśaraṇau hitvā nārāyaṇāṃgaṇam | tasya no caratonyatra carato vipulaṃ tapaḥ

Translation

Ayant quitté les pieds protecteurs de Viṣṇu et la cour même de Nārāyaṇa, ses pas ne se portaient nulle part ailleurs : si vaste et si ferme était l’ascèse qu’il accomplissait.

Word by Word

• चरणौ: the two feet
• चरणौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual)

• विष्णु-शरणौ: (feet) that are refuge in/for Viṣṇu
• विष्णु-शरणौ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (viṣṇoḥ śaraṇau) विशेषण

• हित्वा: having abandoned
• हित्वा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial to main action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having abandoned’

• नारायण-अङ्गणम्: the courtyard/precinct of Nārāyaṇa
• नारायण-अङ्गणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (nārāyaṇasya aṅgaṇam)

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• नः: for us / to us
• नः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Genitive/Dative), बहुवचन; enclitic pronoun

• चरतो: of the moving one / while moving
• चरतो: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle), षष्ठी/सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘of/while (he) is moving’

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• चरतो: of the moving one / while moving
• चरतो: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle), षष्ठी/सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोग

• विपुलम्: abundant, great
• विपुलम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tapasvin stands motionless at the threshold/courtyard of Nārāyaṇa, hands folded, gaze fixed on the Lord’s feet; the world’s paths recede behind him, symbolizing ‘not moving elsewhere’.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Nārāyaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True tapas is unwavering single-pointed devotion—remaining fixed in the Lord’s refuge rather than chasing other aims.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, aligning the narrative with Kāśī’s māhātmya, though this particular line emphasizes devotion to Nārāyaṇa rather than naming a discrete tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed here; the emphasis is on sustained austerity (tapas) and steadfast devotional focus.