Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

विशिष्टं काशिमुख्येभ्यस्तीर्थेभ्यः स्थानकं त्विदम् । तस्मादत्रैव संस्थोहं तपस्तप्स्यामि पुष्कलम्

Transliteration

viśiṣṭaṃ kāśimukhyebhyastīrthebhyaḥ sthānakaṃ tvidam | tasmādatraiva saṃsthohaṃ tapastapsyāmi puṣkalam

Translation

ಈ ಪವಿತ್ರ ಸ್ಥಳವು ಕಾಶಿ ಮೊದಲಾದ ಪ್ರಮುಖ ತೀರ್ಥಗಳಿಗಿಂತಲೂ ವಿಶಿಷ್ಟವಾಗಿದೆ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ನಾನು ಇಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ನೆಲೆಸಿ ಸಮೃದ್ಧ ತಪಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಆಚರಿಸುವೆನು.

Word by Word

• विशिष्टम्: distinguished, superior
• विशिष्टम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + शिष् (धातु) + क्त → विशिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषणम् (स्थानकम्)

• काशिमुख्येभ्यः: from (among) those headed by Kāśī
• काशिमुख्येभ्यः: Apadana (Comparison/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (काशीमुख्याः)

• तीर्थेभ्यः: from pilgrimage places
• तीर्थेभ्यः: Apadana (Comparison/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), बहुवचन; अपादान (ablative)

• स्थानकम्: this place
• स्थानकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृपद

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेष (adversative particle)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Sambandha (Logical connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (तस्मात् इति हेत्वर्थे); कारणार्थक (therefore)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (restrictive particle)

• संस्थः: staying, settled
• संस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु) + क्त → संस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; कर्तृविशेषणम् (अहम्)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृपद

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

• तप्स्यामि: I will practice (austerity)
• तप्स्यामि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुष्कलम्: abundant, great
• पुष्कलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तपः)

Speaker

Narrative voice (Maheshvara Khanda context: Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa relating events)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim resolves to stay: he plants a staff, sets up a small hermitage near the shrine/river, kindles a sacred fire; in the background, iconic silhouettes of famed tīrthas (like Kāśī ghats) appear as faint comparative visions.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Choose a truly sanctifying holy place and commit steadily to tapas there, rather than wandering restlessly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A particular “sthānaka” (holy spot) in Kaumārikākhaṇḍa is praised as exceptional even compared to Kāśī; the exact local name is not stated in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is steadfast residence and performance of sustained tapas (austerity) at the spot.