Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

अहमेकचरोप्यत्र तत्क्षेत्रप्राप्तये मुने । तप्ये तपांसिनाद्यापि फलेयुर्मे मनोरथाः

Transliteration

ahamekacaropyatra tatkṣetraprāptaye mune | tapye tapāṃsinādyāpi phaleyurme manorathāḥ

Translation

ഹേ മുനേ, ഞാൻ ഏകാകിയായി സഞ്ചരിച്ചാലും ആ ക്ഷേത്രപ്രാപ്തിക്കായി ഇന്നും തപസ്സു ചെയ്യുന്നു; എന്റെ മനോരഥങ്ങൾ ഫലിക്കട്ടെ।

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• एकचरः: solitary; going alone
• एकचरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकचर (प्रातिपदिक; एक + चर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• अपि: even
• अपि: Kriya-vishesana (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अपि-अर्थक-निपातः (even/also)

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

• तत्क्षेत्रप्राप्तये: for attaining that sacred place
• तत्क्षेत्रप्राप्तये: Sampradana (Purpose/Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + क्षेत्र + प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (4th/Dative), एकवचनम्; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the purpose of attaining)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• तप्ये: I perform austerity; I heat/torment myself
• तप्ये: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), उत्तमपुरुषः (1st person), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम् (तप्ये)

• तपांसि: austerities
• तपांसि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• न: not
• न: Kriya-vishesana (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निषेध-निपातः

• अद्य: today; now
• अद्य: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (today/now)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Kriya-vishesana (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अपि-अर्थक-निपातः (even)

• फलेयुः: may bear fruit
• फलेयुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: फल् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (enclitic)

• मनोरथाः: wishes; desires
• मनोरथाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनोरथ (प्रातिपदिक; मनस् + रथ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni (sage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone ascetic traveler (ekacara) on a dusty path, performing tapas—standing in meditation, minimal belongings—eyes fixed on an imagined radiant Kāśī on the horizon; the sage addressed listens quietly.

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetra (Kāśī/Avimukta, implied)
• Tapas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Longing for Kāśī is itself a spiritual discipline; even great beings value attaining that kṣetra and strive for it.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī/Avimukta, referred to as “that kṣetra” worth striving to reach.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is highlighted as a means undertaken with the aim of reaching the sacred kṣetra.