Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

तत्रैव तप्तवान्सोमस्तपः परमदुष्करम् । तत्रैव राजसूयं च चक्रे चंद्रेश्वराग्रतः

Transliteration

tatraiva taptavānsomastapaḥ paramaduṣkaram | tatraiva rājasūyaṃ ca cakre caṃdreśvarāgrataḥ

Translation

Di sana juga Soma menjalankan tapa yang amat sukar dan luhur; dan di sana pula ia melaksanakan yajña Rājasūya di hadapan Candreśvara, Tuhan Sang Bulan.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb: ‘there’)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक (particle of emphasis: ‘indeed/just’)

• तप्तवान्: having performed austerity
• तप्तवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु) + तवत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृतान्त (भूतकृत्); कर्तरि क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘having performed austerity/ having heated (oneself)’

• सोमः: Soma (the Moon)
• सोमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• परम: supreme; exceedingly
• परम: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘तपः’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• दुष्करम्: very difficult
• दुष्करम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘तपः’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• राजसूयम्: Rājasūya sacrifice
• राजसूयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजसूय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction ‘and’)

• चक्रे: performed; did
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• चन्द्रेश्वर-अग्रतः: in front of Candreśvara
• चन्द्रेश्वर-अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चन्द्र-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्रतस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘चन्द्रेश्वरस्य’); ‘अग्रतः’ इति अव्यय (in front of); समस्तपदम् अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Candreśvara (Candra-īśvara) in Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Soma, radiant and cool-hued, performs fierce austerity near a Śiva-liṅga named Candreśvara; beside it a Rājasūya altar with priests, ladles, and sacred fires, while Śiva’s presence is implied as a towering, tranquil force.

Characters & Entities

• Soma
• tapas
• Rājasūya
• Candreśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas and yajña become supremely fruitful when performed in the direct sanctity of Śiva’s presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Candreśvara in Kāśī is highlighted as the sacred presence before whom Soma’s austerity and sacrifice were completed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Undertaking rigorous tapas and performing the Rājasūya in a consecrated Śiva-sannidhi (presence of a Śiva-linga).