Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

परं स सुखलभ्यो न नितरां सुभगाकृतिः । तपः पणेन स क्रय्यः सुतीर्थविपणौ क्वचित्

Transliteration

paraṃ sa sukhalabhyo na nitarāṃ subhagākṛtiḥ | tapaḥ paṇena sa krayyaḥ sutīrthavipaṇau kvacit

Translation

അവൻ പരമൻ; എളുപ്പത്തിൽ ലഭ്യമല്ല, എങ്കിലും അവന്റെ രൂപം അത്യന്തം മംഗളകരമാണ്. തപസ്സെന്ന വിലകൊണ്ടു മാത്രമേ അവനെ ‘വാങ്ങാൻ’ കഴിയൂ—എവിടെയോ എവിടെയോ ഉത്തമ തീർത്ഥങ്ങളുടെ വിപണിയിൽ.

Word by Word

• परम्: indeed / rather
• परम्: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic/particle): ‘indeed, rather, but’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सुखलभ्यः: easily obtainable
• सुखलभ्यः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख + लभ्य (कृदन्त; √लभ् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘लभ्य’ = तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be obtained’), समासः—तत्पुरुष (सुखेन लभ्यः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• नितराम्: exceedingly
• नितराम्: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नितर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): अत्यर्थे—‘exceedingly, very much’

• सुभगाकृतिः: of beautiful form
• सुभगाकृतिः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुभग + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सुभगा चासौ आकृतिः)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पणेन: by a price / as payment
• पणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भावे

• सः: it/he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• क्रय्यः: purchasable
• क्रय्यः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रय्य (कृदन्त; √क्री धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/‘fit to be bought’)

• सुतीर्थविपणौ: in the market of good tīrthas
• सुतीर्थविपणौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + तीर्थ + विपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सुतीर्थाणां विपणः/विपणे)

• क्वचित्: sometimes / somewhere
• क्वचित्: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘somewhere/at some time/rarely’

Speaker

Pitā (Father)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A maiden (kanyā) is addressed; speaker implied within the narrative frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic bazaar of tīrthas: ghāṭs, pilgrims, ascetics; the 'Lord' as an unseen presence, attainable only when a seeker offers the 'coin' of tapas.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest attainments are won through tapas; sacred places amplify merit, but inner discipline is the true ‘currency’.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

It praises ‘su-tīrthas’ in general (excellent holy places) within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa ethos, rather than naming one site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is presented as the essential means—implying vows, restraint, and disciplined practice at holy places.