Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मचर्यं तपोमूलं यतः संकीर्तितं द्विजैः । तस्याभावात्परिक्लेशः केवलं न फलं व्रते

Transliteration

brahmacaryaṃ tapomūlaṃ yataḥ saṃkīrtitaṃ dvijaiḥ | tasyābhāvātparikleśaḥ kevalaṃ na phalaṃ vrate

Translation

കാരണം ബ്രഹ്മചര്യമാണ് തപസ്സിന്റെ മൂലമെന്ന് പണ്ഡിത ദ്വിജന്മാർ പ്രസ്താവിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്; അത് ഇല്ലെങ്കിൽ വ്രതത്തിൽ കഷ്ടം മാത്രം, ഫലം ഇല്ല।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: celibacy
• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अत्र प्रथमा (वाक्यविषयः); English: neuter nominative singular

• तपोमूलम्: the root of austerity
• तपोमूलम्: Pradhana (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तपसः मूलम्); English: nominative singular (predicate noun)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; हेत्वर्थे/यस्मात्-अर्थे; English: indeclinable ‘because/from which’

• संकीर्तितम्: has been proclaimed
• संकीर्तितम्: Kriya (Verbal predicate/क्रियाविशेष)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + कीर्त् (धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययः), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘has been proclaimed’; English: past passive participle, neuter nominative singular

• द्विजैः: by the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive; करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; English: instrumental plural

• तस्य: of that (celibacy)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; English: genitive singular

• अभावात्: from (its) absence
• अभावात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source; हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; English: ablative singular (from absence)

• परिक्लेशः: hardship; distress
• परिक्लेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिक्लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; English: nominative singular

• केवलम्: only; merely
• केवलम्: Visheshana (Adverbial qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; विशेषणार्थे क्रियाविशेषणम्; English: adverb ‘only/merely’

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम्; English: negation particle

• फलम्: fruit; result
• फलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; English: nominative singular

• व्रते: in the vow/observance
• व्रते: Adhikarana (Location/Context; अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; English: locative singular

Speaker

Devas (continuing deliberation; general dharma maxim)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic moment: the narrator underscores that brahmacarya is the very root of austerity; the image can show a serene sage seated in meditation with a symbolic ‘root’ supporting a tree labeled ‘tapas’, while temptations hover at the periphery.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmacarya
• Dwijas (learned brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discipline of senses (brahmacarya) is foundational; otherwise austerities become empty exertion without spiritual fruition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching arises within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra narrative, highlighting the standards of effective tapas at a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implicit prescription: maintain brahmacarya as an essential condition for successful vrata and tapas.