Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

तमुवाच हृषीकेशं मौलिमांदोलयन्मुहुः । अहो महत्त्वं तपसस्त्वहो धैर्यं च चेतसः

Transliteration

tamuvāca hṛṣīkeśaṃ maulimāṃdolayanmuhuḥ | aho mahattvaṃ tapasastvaho dhairyaṃ ca cetasaḥ

Translation

ତେବେ ସେ ହୃଷୀକେଶଙ୍କୁ କହିଲେ, ପୁନଃପୁନଃ ମସ୍ତକ ହଲାଇ—“ଅହୋ! ତପସ୍ୟାର ମହତ୍ତ୍ୱ କେତେ ମହାନ; ଚିତ୍ତର ଧୈର୍ଯ୍ୟ ମଧ୍ୟ କେତେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ!”

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• हृषीकेशम्: Hṛṣīkeśa (Vishnu)
• हृषीकेशम्: Karma (सम्बोधन-लक्ष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीकेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; संबोधनार्थे कर्मरूपेण (addressed as object of speech)

• मौलिम्: the head/crest
• मौलिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आन्दोलयन्: shaking/swaying
• आन्दोलयन्: Karta (क्रियाविशेषण/सहक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दोल् (धातु) → आन्दोलयत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शतृ (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (while shaking)

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Kriya-visheshana (रीति/आवृत्ति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: repeatedly)

• अहो: ah!
• अहो: Sambandha (उद्गार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मयादिबोधक निपात (exclamatory particle)

• महत्त्वम्: greatness
• महत्त्वम्: Karta (उक्त-विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक

• तपसः: of austerity
• तपसः: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• तु: and indeed
• तु: Sambandha (समुच्चय/विरोध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• अहो: ah!
• अहो: Sambandha (उद्गार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मयादिबोधक निपात

• धैर्यम्: steadfastness
• धैर्यम्: Karta (उक्त-विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धैर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चेतसः: of the mind
• चेतसः: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva (contextual continuation: Īśa addressing Hṛṣīkeśa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cakra-puṣkariṇī

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: In-text audience (not specified)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, standing near Viṣṇu in meditation, gently nods repeatedly, his matted locks and crescent moon visible; his expression is approving and astonished; Pārvatī stands beside, attentive; Viṣṇu remains unmoving, eyes closed.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Hṛṣīkeśa (Viṣṇu)
• Tapas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas is not mere hardship; it is the disciplined steadiness of the mind that becomes spiritually महान (great).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode continues at Cakra-puṣkariṇī in Kāśī, where the divine dialogue unfolds.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the verse extols inner discipline as the essence of tapas.