Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

तपःशुल्का तीर्थशुल्का दानशुल्का हिमावती । पंचाश्वमेधिका चैव राजसूयार्थिनी तथा

Transliteration

tapaḥśulkā tīrthaśulkā dānaśulkā himāvatī | paṃcāśvamedhikā caiva rājasūyārthinī tathā

Translation

Tapaḥśulkā, Tīrthaśulkā, Dānaśulkā, Himāvatī; e ainda Paṃcāśvamedhikā, bem como Rājasūyārthinī—todas elas entre as Apsarās.

Word by Word

• तपःशुल्का: having austerity as her fee/price
• तपःशुल्का: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + शुल्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विसर्ग-सन्धिः: तपः + शुल्का; तत्पुरुष

• तीर्थशुल्का: having pilgrimage as her fee/price
• तीर्थशुल्का: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + शुल्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष

• दानशुल्का: having gift-giving as her fee/price
• दानशुल्का: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक) + शुल्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष

• हिमावती: Himāvatī (snowy one; name)
• हिमावती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; हिमवत्-शब्दस्य स्त्रीरूप (name/epithet)

• पंचाश्वमेधिका: connected with five Aśvamedhas
• पंचाश्वमेधिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक) + -इका (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (five + aśvamedha)

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

• एव: indeed/also
• एव: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• राजसूयार्थिनी: seeking the Rājasūya (sacrifice)
• राजसूयार्थिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजसूय (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (desiring/aiming at Rājasūya)

• तथा: likewise/and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थे (in like manner/also)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Apsarās named after tapas, tīrtha, dāna, and royal sacrifices appear as personified virtues: one with ascetic glow, one with river/ghāṭa motifs, one with gift-vessels, and others with yajña-fire iconography; a celestial pavilion suggests Indra’s court.

Characters & Entities

• Tapaḥśulkā
• Tīrthaśulkā
• Dānaśulkā
• Himāvatī
• Paṃcāśvamedhikā
• Rājasūya
• Aśvamedha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even while listing celestial beings, the verse echoes dharmic pillars—tapas, tīrtha-yātrā, and dāna—by embedding them as meaningful epithets.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named, but the word tīrtha is explicitly invoked, aligning with the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s broader pilgrimage-centered teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct injunction is given; however, it alludes to tapas, charity (dāna), pilgrimage (tīrtha), and great Vedic sacrifices like Aśvamedha and Rājasūya.