Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

श्रुतिमेव सदाभ्यस्येत्तपस्तप्तुं द्विजोत्तमः । श्रुत्यभ्यासो हि विप्रस्य परमं तप उच्यते

Transliteration

śrutimeva sadābhyasyettapastaptuṃ dvijottamaḥ | śrutyabhyāso hi viprasya paramaṃ tapa ucyate

Translation

若欲修行tapas（苦行、精进），最上之二次生者当恒常习诵Śruti（天启圣典）；因为对婆罗门而言，恒久温习Śruti被宣说为至上的tapas。

Word by Word

• श्रुतिम्: the Veda (śruti)
• श्रुतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Prayojaka (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• अभ्यस्येत्: should अभ्यास (study/practice)
• अभ्यस्येत्: Kriya (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + अस् (धातु, अभ्यासे)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तप्तुम्: to perform (austerity)
• तप्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु) → तप्तुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थ

• द्विजोत्तमः: the best of Brahmins
• द्विजोत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘उत्तमः द्विजः’

• श्रुति: of śruti
• श्रुति: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूप)

• अभ्यासः: practice, repetition (study)
• अभ्यासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Prayojaka (Emphasis/निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक निपात (indeed/for)

• विप्रस्य: of a Brahmin
• विप्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उच्यते: is said, is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa elder at dawn performing sandhyā, then seated to chant Śruti with precise hand-gestures (mudrā-like counting), students listening; the austerity is shown as a radiant heat (tapas) emanating from the recitation itself.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Śruti (Veda)
• Kāśī (implied context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True austerity is not only physical hardship but sustained sacred learning and recitation that refines the mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is situated in Kāśī Khaṇḍa, reinforcing Kāśī as a seat of śruti, learning, and dharmic discipline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prescription for continual Śruti practice (svādhyāya) as the highest form of tapas for a vipra.