Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

ऊर्ध्वदोषो रविदृशस्त्वेकांघ्रि स्थाणु निश्चलाः । ये वै दिवा निरुच्छ्वासा मासोच्छ्वासाश्च ये पुनः

Transliteration

ūrdhvadoṣo ravidṛśastvekāṃghri sthāṇu niścalāḥ | ye vai divā nirucchvāsā māsocchvāsāśca ye punaḥ

Translation

ບາງພວກກັກກຸມມົນທິນໃຫ້ໄຫຼຂຶ້ນເທິງ ເພ່ງມອງພຣະອາທິດ ແລະຍືນຂາດຽວດຸດເສົາບໍ່ໄຫວຕິງ; ບາງພວກກັ້ນລົມຫາຍໃຈຕະຫຼອດວັນ; ແລະບາງພວກຫາຍໃຈພຽງເທື່ອດຽວໃນໜຶ່ງເດືອນ

Word by Word

• ऊर्ध्व-दोषाः: those with upward (restrained) exhalation/impurities
• ऊर्ध्व-दोषाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ऊर्ध्वं दोषः/ऊर्ध्वदोषः; ‘upward-flowing impurities/breath’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural

• रवि-दृशः: sun-gazers
• रवि-दृशः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक) + दृश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रविवत् दृशः/रविं पश्यन्ति इति), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural; describing ascetics (gazing at sun)

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Emphasis (Nipāta)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis particle)

• एक-अङ्घ्रि: one-footed (standing on one leg)
• एक-अङ्घ्रि: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्घ्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु/तत्पुरुष-समास (एकः अङ्घ्रिः यस्य), अव्ययभावेन विशेषणरूपेण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (समासपद as qualifier)

• स्थाणु: like a pillar (motionless)
• स्थाणु: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थाणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (विशेषणवत्) — ‘like a pillar/tree-stump’

• निश्चलाः: motionless
• निश्चलाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural; qualifying subject

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Relative pronoun

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (Nipāta)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• निर्-उच्छ्वासाः: without exhalation
• निर्-उच्छ्वासाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + उच्छ्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (निरस्तः उच्छ्वासः येषाम्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural; those without exhalation/breathing

• मास-उच्छ्वासाः: those whose breath (interval) is a month
• मास-उच्छ्वासाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + उच्छ्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मासे उच्छ्वासः/मासपर्यन्त उच्छ्वासः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural; those who breathe once a month

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Relative pronoun (repeated)

• पुनः: again / moreover
• पुनः: Sambandha/Discourse (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: repetition/emphasis)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tapoloka (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A motionless ascetic like a pillar, balancing on one foot, eyes lifted toward the sun; another seated in deep prāṇāyāma with minimal breath; the environment is bright, rarefied, and silent.

Characters & Entities

• Sun (Ravi)
• Tapoloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic ideal of tapas includes yogic self-mastery—stillness, focus, and breath-discipline directed toward transcendence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśīkhaṇḍa provides the sacred frame, but this verse primarily glorifies ascetic yogic practices associated with Tapoloka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Austerities such as standing on one foot, sun-gazing, and extreme breath restraint.