Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

रोमांच कंचुकवती वेपमानतनुच्छदा । पर्यक्षिपत्क्षपाः क्षामा तपसा हैमनीश्च सा

Transliteration

romāṃca kaṃcukavatī vepamānatanucchadā | paryakṣipatkṣapāḥ kṣāmā tapasā haimanīśca sā

Translation

她仿佛披着一件由毛发竖立织成的衣裳，纤弱之躯颤抖不止；她度过漫漫长夜——因tapas而消瘦——并将严冬亦忍受为苦行的一分。

Word by Word

• रोमाञ्च: horripilation (gooseflesh)
• रोमाञ्च: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोमाञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (अत्र भाववाचकः)

• कञ्चुक-वती: wearing a bodice/garment
• कञ्चुक-वती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कञ्चुक (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘-वती’ (possessive)

• वेपमान-तनु-छदा: whose thin covering trembled
• वेपमान-तनु-छदा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेप् (धातु) + तनु (प्रातिपदिक) + छद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) ‘वेपमान’ = trembling; तत्पुरुषः (वेपमाना तनुः यस्याः छदा/आवरणम्)

• परि-अक्षिपत्: threw/caused (to pass) around
• परि-अक्षिपत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-क्षिप् (धातु √क्षिप्)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षपाः: nights
• क्षपाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; (रात्रि)

• क्षामा: emaciated
• क्षामा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• हैमनी: wintry
• हैमनी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हैमनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘wintery/cold-season’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (tapovana)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night in the forest: the maiden’s skin raised in gooseflesh like a ‘garment’, her body thin and trembling, moonlight and cold mist around, yet her posture remains composed.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Kṣetra)
• tapo-vana (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas is sustained commitment across seasons and discomfort, refining the body and mind toward spiritual purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī sacred region remains the implied locus of her practice, emphasizing its purifying power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No named rite beyond continued tapas; the verse highlights seasonal endurance (winter) as part of ascetic observance.