Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

नापराध्नोम्यहं किंचिन्महोग्रतपसांनिधे । क्षंतव्यं मे क्षमाधार क्षमारूपास्तपस्विनः

Transliteration

nāparādhnomyahaṃ kiṃcinmahogratapasāṃnidhe | kṣaṃtavyaṃ me kṣamādhāra kṣamārūpāstapasvinaḥ

Translation

‘اے سخت تپسیا کے خزانے، میں نے کوئی قصور نہیں کیا۔ اے درگزر کے سہارا، مجھے معاف کیجیے؛ کیونکہ تپسوی تو خود بردباری کا پیکر ہوتے ہیں۔’

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अपराध्नोमि: I offend/commit a fault
• अपराध्नोमि: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अपराध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); अनिश्चितार्थक (anything)

• महा: great
• महा: Qualifier within compound
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (compound member), 'महान्' इत्यर्थे

• उग्र: fierce
• उग्र: Qualifier within compound
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (compound member)

• तपसाम्: of austerities
• तपसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• निधे: O treasure of great austerities
• निधे: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); 'महोग्र-तपसां-निधि' इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (treasure of great fierce austerities)

• क्षन्तव्यम्: should be forgiven
• क्षन्तव्यम्: Kriya (Predicate, impersonal)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम् (धातु) → क्षन्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत् (Gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय-विशेषणम् (it should be forgiven)

• मे: for me / my
• मे: Sampradana (Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) / चतुर्थी (4th/Dative) एकवचन-रूपम्; अत्र 'मम/मे' = 'by you to me / my'—प्रायः 'मम (my)' अथवा 'मह्यम् (to me)' अर्थे

• क्षमाधार: O support of forgiveness
• क्षमाधार: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमा (प्रातिपदिक) + आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); तत्पुरुषः—'क्षमायाः आधारः' (support of forgiveness)

• क्षमारूपाः: having forgiveness as their nature
• क्षमारूपाः: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षमा (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); तत्पुरुषः—'क्षमाया रूपम् येषाम्' (whose nature is forgiveness)

• तपस्विनः: ascetics
• तपस्विनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

Speaker

Śuci (apsaras) (direct speech within Skanda’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka-group (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śuci speaks with folded hands, eyes lowered; the sage is depicted as a ‘storehouse of fierce tapas’ yet invited to embody forgiveness—visual contrast between fiery ascetic aura and calm compassionate face.

Characters & Entities

• Śuci (apsaras)
• Vedaśiras
• Kṣamā (forbearance)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse elevates kṣamā (forgiveness) as a hallmark of true tapas: spiritual power is ideally joined with compassion and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; it is part of the Pañcanada origin account that builds the tīrtha’s sacred authority through dhārmic themes.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it presents an ethical prescription—cultivating forgiveness, especially for those established in austerity.