Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

तपसा ब्रह्मचर्येण क्लेशेन क्षेत्रसाधनैः । यैरहं तोषितः पृथ्व्यां त एते मनुजोत्तमाः

Transliteration

tapasā brahmacaryeṇa kleśena kṣetrasādhanaiḥ | yairahaṃ toṣitaḥ pṛthvyāṃ ta ete manujottamāḥ

Translation

ریاضت، برہماچریہ، مشقّت اور مقدّس مقامات کی سادھنا کے ذریعے جنہوں نے زمین پر مجھے راضی کیا—یہی لوگ انسانوں میں سب سے افضل ہیں۔

Word by Word

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

• ब्रह्मचर्येण: by celibacy
• ब्रह्मचर्येण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• क्लेशेन: by hardship
• क्लेशेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• क्षेत्रसाधनैः: by means of holy-field practices
• क्षेत्रसाधनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; ‘क्षेत्रस्य साधनैः’

• यैः: by which
• यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; सम्बन्धे ‘by which’

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

• तोषितः: pleased
• तोषितः: Kriya-phala (Result state/फल)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past passive participle ‘pleased’; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘I (am) pleased’

• पृथ्व्याम्: on earth
• पृथ्व्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन — Locative singular

• ते: those
• ते: Visheshana (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन — Nominative plural; एते इति सह निर्देश

• एते: these
• एते: Visheshana (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन — Nominative plural

• मनुजोत्तमाः: best of men
• मनुजोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative plural; ‘श्रेष्ठा मनुजाः’

Speaker

Śiva (Mahādeva/Śaṅkara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva speaks with didactic calm; behind him, a visual montage suggests human sādhakas performing austerities—fasting, japa, celibate restraint, circumambulation of shrines—whose merit transforms them into radiant attendants.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva declares that disciplined austerity, brahmacarya, and sincere kṣetra-observances are powerful means to earn divine grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tirtha is named; the verse broadly praises kṣetra-sādhana—devotional disciplines performed in sacred places.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

General prescriptions are implied: tapas (austerity), brahmacarya (restraint), and observances tied to kṣetras (pilgrimage disciplines).