Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

साभिलाषास्तपस्यंति स्वर्गभोगोस्त्वितीह नः । तेऽत्र रुद्रपुरे रम्ये रुद्ररूपधरा नराः

Transliteration

sābhilāṣāstapasyaṃti svargabhogostvitīha naḥ | te'tra rudrapure ramye rudrarūpadharā narāḥ

Translation

May hangarin silang nagsasagawa ng tapas: “nawa’y matamo ang kaligayahan sa langit,” wika nila. Dito, sa kaaya-ayang lungsod ni Rudra, ang mga taong yaon ay nagtataglay ng mismong anyo ni Rudra.

Word by Word

• sābhilāṣāḥ: with desires
• sābhilāṣāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa- + abhilāṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; कर्मधारय (abhilāṣaḥ santi yeṣām)

• tapasyaṃti: perform austerities
• tapasyaṃti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tapas (तपस्/तप्)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• svargabhogaḥ: enjoyment of heaven
• svargabhogaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga + bhoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular; तत्पुरुष (svargasya bhogaḥ)

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विरोधसूचक-अव्यय; particle

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणसूचक-अव्यय; quotative

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय; adverb (here)

• naḥ: of us / our
• naḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; Genitive plural (enclitic)

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय; adverb (here)

• rudrapure: in Rudra’s city
• rudrapure: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra + pura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular; तत्पुरुष (rudrasya puram)

• ramye: beautiful
• ramye: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular; agrees with rudrapure

• rudrarūpadharāḥ: bearing Rudra’s form
• rudrarūpadharāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rudra + rūpa + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural; तत्पुरुष (rudrasya rūpaṃ dharanti)

• narāḥ: men
• narāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

Speaker

Gaṇas (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rudra-pura (Aiśānī context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tapasvins in Rudra’s city perform austerities with thoughts of svarga; yet their bodies subtly take on Rudra-like marks—trident insignia, ash lines, matted hair—signaling sārūpya (form-likeness).

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Rudrapura (city of Rudra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when austerity begins with desire for heaven, dwelling in Rudra’s sacred domain elevates the devotee toward Rudra-like purity and identity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Rudrapura—‘the city of Rudra’—a sanctified locale within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is mentioned; the verse does not specify a particular vrata or offering.