Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

तपसा तोष्य गोविंदमभिलाषविवर्जिताः । तपोलोकमिमं प्राप्य वसंति विजितेंद्रियाः

Transliteration

tapasā toṣya goviṃdamabhilāṣavivarjitāḥ | tapolokamimaṃ prāpya vasaṃti vijiteṃdriyāḥ

Translation

جو لوگ بے غرض ہو کر تپسیا کے ذریعے گووند کو راضی کرتے اور اپنی اندریوں کو فتح کر لیتے ہیں—وہ اس تپولوک کو پا کر وہیں سکونت اختیار کرتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular; means/agency

• तोष्य: having pleased
• तोष्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘तोष्य’ = ‘तोषयित्वा/तुष्ट्वा’ — having pleased

• गोविन्दम्: Govinda
• गोविन्दम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• अभिलाष-विवर्जिताः: devoid of desires
• अभिलाष-विवर्जिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिलाष (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्जित (कृदन्त, वि+वृज्/वर्ज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/निर्धारणार्थ: ‘अभिलाषेन विवर्जिताः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन — Nominative plural; qualifying implied subject (तपस्विनः/यतयः)

• तपो-लोकम्: the world of austerity
• तपो-लोकम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: तपसः लोकः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• इमम्: this
• इमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Accusative singular; demonstrative qualifying ‘तपोलोकम्’

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+आप् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive) — having attained

• वसन्ति: they dwell
• वसन्ति: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — 3rd person plural

• विजित-इन्द्रियाः: having conquered the senses
• विजित-इन्द्रियाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजित (कृदन्त, वि+जि धातु, क्त) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/उपपदभाव: ‘विजितानि इन्द्रियाणि येषाम्’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural; qualifying subject

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene ascetic assembly in a luminous realm (Tapoloka), sages with subdued senses offering inner austerity to Govinda; Govinda’s presence suggested as a radiant, compassionate focus rather than a dramatic theophany.

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Tapoloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desireless austerity that pleases the Divine, coupled with sense-control, leads to exalted spiritual attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s sacred geography; this verse highlights Tapoloka (a transcendent realm) rather than a single terrestrial tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) practiced without personal desire and with mastery over the senses.