Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

दंडखाते महातीर्थे देवर्षिपितृतृप्तिदे । तप्यमानेषु विप्रेषु निष्कामं परमं तपः

Transliteration

daṃḍakhāte mahātīrthe devarṣipitṛtṛptide | tapyamāneṣu vipreṣu niṣkāmaṃ paramaṃ tapaḥ

Translation

神々・聖仙（リシ）・祖霊を満たす大いなるティールタ、ダンダカータにおいて、バラモンたちが苦行に励むあいだ、欲を離れた最上のタパス（苦行）が修せられていた。

Word by Word

• दंडखाते: in Daṇḍakhāta (a place)
• दंडखाते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड + खात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (दण्डेन/दण्डस्य खातम्)

• महातीर्थे: at the great sacred ford
• महातीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् तीर्थम्)

• देवर्षिपितृतृप्तिदे: which grants satisfaction to gods, sages, and ancestors
• देवर्षिपितृतृप्तिदे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव + ऋषि + पितृ + तृप्ति + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (महातीर्थे इति विशेषणम्); समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां ऋषीणां पितॄणां तृप्तिं ददाति)

• तप्यमानेषु: while (they) were performing austerities
• तप्यमानेषु: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि शानच् (present passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन

• विप्रेषु: among the brāhmaṇas
• विप्रेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन

• निष्कामम्: desireless
• निष्कामम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—नञ्/निषेध-तत्पुरुषः (कामा अभावः)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Daṇḍakhāta Mahātīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇa interlocutor

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the bank of a sacred water-spot named Daṇḍakhāta, brāhmaṇas sit in disciplined postures performing austere practices; subtle presences of devas, ṛṣis, and pitṛs appear satisfied, receiving offerings and blessings.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Daṇḍakhāta Mahātīrtha
• Devas
• Ṛṣis
• Pitṛs
• Vipras (brāhmaṇas)
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desireless austerity performed at a sanctified place becomes universally beneficial, extending merit toward gods, sages, and ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Daṇḍakhāta Mahātīrtha in Kāśī, praised as satisfying devas, ṛṣis, and pitṛs.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It highlights niṣkāma tapas (desireless penance); the verse also implies pitṛ-tṛpti, aligning with tīrtha-based rites like tarpaṇa though not explicitly stated here.