Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

कल्पायुषो वसंत्यत्र तपसा धूतकल्मषाः । विष्णुस्मरण संक्षीण समस्तक्लेशसंचयाः

Transliteration

kalpāyuṣo vasaṃtyatra tapasā dhūtakalmaṣāḥ | viṣṇusmaraṇa saṃkṣīṇa samastakleśasaṃcayāḥ

Translation

ଏଠାରେ କଳ୍ପପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଆୟୁ ଥିବା ଲୋକେ ବସନ୍ତି; ତପସ୍ୟାରେ ପାପ ଧୋଇଯାଇଛି ଏବଂ ବିଷ୍ଣୁସ୍ମରଣରେ ସମସ୍ତ କ୍ଲେଶସଞ୍ଚୟ କ୍ଷୀଣ ହୋଇଛି।

Word by Word

• कल्पायुषः: having a lifespan of a kalpa
• कल्पायुषः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कल्प + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (धूतकल्मषाः-विशेषण)

• वसन्ति: dwell, live
• वसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• धूतकल्मषाः: whose sins are washed away
• धूतकल्मषाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धूत (√धू धातु) + कल्मष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (वसन्ति-कर्तृ)

• विष्णुस्मरण: by remembrance of Vishnu
• विष्णुस्मरण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + स्मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (अर्थतः); हेतु/करणभाव (by/through remembrance of Viṣṇu)

• संक्षीण: diminished, exhausted
• संक्षीण: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + क्षि (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (समस्तक्लेशसंचयाः-विशेषण)

• समस्तक्लेशसंचयाः: (those with) the entire accumulation of afflictions
• समस्तक्लेशसंचयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समस्त + क्लेश + संचय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेष्य (those whose accumulation of all afflictions...)

Speaker

Two gaṇas (divine attendants)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vision of Maharloka’s residents: serene ascetics and luminous beings, long-lived, engaged in tapas and constant remembrance of Viṣṇu; the atmosphere is calm and radiant.

Characters & Entities

• Maharloka
• Viṣṇu
• Tapas (austerity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity and constant remembrance of God cleanse sin and dissolve suffering; true merit is inner purification, not merely residence in a higher realm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse describes Maharloka’s sanctity; the broader Kāśī Khaṇḍa context links such merit to sacred living and pilgrimage ethos, though no specific Kāśī-tīrtha is named here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It highlights tapas (austerity) and viṣṇu-smaraṇa (remembrance of Viṣṇu) as transformative practices.