Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

तपोधनैस्तन्निधनं शंकमानैर्निवारितः । कारुण्यपूर्णहृदयैरन्यैरपि च संगिभिः

Transliteration

tapodhanaistannidhanaṃ śaṃkamānairnivāritaḥ | kāruṇyapūrṇahṛdayairanyairapi ca saṃgibhiḥ

Translation

ഇത് അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ മരണത്തിലേക്കു നയിക്കുമെന്ന ആശങ്കയിൽ തപോധന ഋഷിമാർ അദ്ദേഹത്തെ തടഞ്ഞു; കരുണ നിറഞ്ഞ ഹൃദയമുള്ള മറ്റു സഹചാരികളും അദ്ദേഹത്തെ പിന്തിരിപ്പിക്കാൻ ശ്രമിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• तपोधनैः: by ascetics rich in austerity
• तपोधनैः: Karana (Agent group/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (तपः धनं येषां ते)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; 'निधनम्' विशेषण

• निधनम्: death/end
• निधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• शङ्कमानैः: suspecting
• शङ्कमानैः: Karana (Agent qualifier/करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शङ्क् (धातु)
• Form: शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present middle participle); पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचन; 'तपोधनैः' इत्यस्य विशेषण (suspecting)

• निवारितः: was restrained
• निवारितः: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; कर्तरि-भावे (he was restrained)

• कारुण्यपूर्णहृदयैः: by those whose hearts were full of compassion
• कारुण्यपूर्णहृदयैः: Karana (Agent group/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारुण्य + पूर्ण + हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (कारुण्येन पूर्णं हृदयम् येषां ते)

• अन्यैः: by other
• अन्यैः: Karana (Agent qualifier/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचन; 'संगिभिः' विशेषण

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (also)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (and)

• सङ्गिभिः: by companions
• सङ्गिभिः: Karana (Agent group/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of tapasvins and compassionate companions gently restrain an elderly, eager pilgrim—hands raised in pleading, faces soft with concern; the pilgrim’s staff and travel bundle indicate imminent departure.

Characters & Entities

• Ascetics (tapodhanas)
• Companions (saṅgins)
• Vasiṣṭha (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes compassionate counsel—community safeguards the devotee even amid intense zeal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The restraint occurs within the Kedāra pilgrimage storyline; the tīrtha’s greatness is assumed in the background.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it depicts dhārmic intervention by sages and companions when a journey risks death.