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

以苦行、以梵行清净之律、以艰辛、以圣地修持之法——凡在大地上令我欢喜者：彼等实为人中最胜。

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).