Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

तदधस्तात्परं वीक्ष्य तमहं तपनांगजम् । स्थाणुनिश्चल वर्ष्माणं नासाग्रन्यस्तलोचनम्

Transliteration

tadadhastātparaṃ vīkṣya tamahaṃ tapanāṃgajam | sthāṇuniścala varṣmāṇaṃ nāsāgranyastalocanam

Translation

ಇನ್ನೂ ಕೆಳಗೆ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಸಿದಾಗ ನಾನು ತಪನಪುತ್ರನನ್ನು ಕಂಡೆನು—ಸ್ತಂಭದಂತೆ ನಿಶ್ಚಲ ದೇಹ, ನಾಸಾಗ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಥಿರ ದೃಷ್ಟಿ, ಯೋಗತಪಸ್ಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ ದೃಢವ್ರತನು।

Word by Word

• tad: that (him/it)
• tad: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• adhastāt: below
• adhastāt: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhastāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-विशेषण (adverb)

• param: further/next
• param: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (tad इत्यस्य)

• vīkṣya: having seen
• vīkṣya: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √īkṣ (ईक्ष्) + vi- (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tapanāṃgajam: the son of Tapana (the Sun)
• tapanāṃgajam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapana (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃgaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (tapanasya aṃgajaḥ)

• sthāṇu: like a pillar; fixed
• sthāṇu: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणार्थे (niścala इत्यनेन सह)

• niścala: motionless
• niścala: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niścala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• varṣmāṇam: body/form
• varṣmāṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• nāsāgra: on the tip of the nose
• nāsāgra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāsā (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (nāsāyāḥ agraṃ)

• nyasta: placed/fixed
• nyasta: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √as (अस्) + ni- (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (locana)

• locanam: eyes/gaze
• locanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: locana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the sacred landscape of Kāśī, the son of the Sun stands utterly motionless like a pillar, eyes fixed on the nose-tip, absorbed in severe yoga-tapas.

Characters & Entities

• Tapana (Sūrya)
• Dharma/Yama (tapanāṅgaja)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True tapas is steadiness—single-pointed yogic concentration and unwavering discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī region (Kāśīkhaṇḍa context), where Shaiva sanctity frames the narrative of austerity and divine encounter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No external rite is prescribed here; the verse highlights yogic practice—stillness and nāsāgra-dṛṣṭi (gaze at the nose-tip).