Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

चांद्रायणादीनि पुनस्तपांसि विहितानि च । आहारलाघवपरः कुर्यात्तत्तप उच्यते

Transliteration

cāṃdrāyaṇādīni punastapāṃsi vihitāni ca | āhāralāghavaparaḥ kuryāttattapa ucyate

Translation

如月行斋（Cāndrāyaṇa）等诸般苦行，确已被教法所规定；凡以减轻饮食、令食量清简为旨而修持者，此即名为苦行（tapas）。

Word by Word

• चांद्रायणादीनि: cāndrāyaṇa and other (vows)
• चांद्रायणादीनि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चांद्रायण + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’समासान्त-प्रत्यययुक्तम् (cāndrāyaṇa-etc.)

• पुनः: again, further
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तपांसि: austerities, penances
• तपांसि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), बहुवचन

• विहितानि: prescribed, enjoined
• विहितानि: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) → विहित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘तपांसि’ इति विशेषणम्

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

• आहारलाघवपरः: one devoted to lightness of diet
• आहारलाघवपरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आहार + लाघव + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘आहारस्य लाघवे परः’ इति; कर्तृपदस्य विशेषणम्

• कुर्यात्: should do, should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘तपः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

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

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Shaiva ascetic or disciplined householder sits near a simple altar with bilva leaves and a water pot, taking sparse food in measured portions, moon phases subtly indicated to evoke Cāndrāyaṇa.

Characters & Entities

• Cāndrāyaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas is disciplined self-restraint, especially through regulated and light diet, supported by scripturally enjoined vows.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse describes vrata-based discipline rather than a location’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Cāndrāyaṇa and related austerity-vratas are mentioned, along with dietary reduction as a form of tapas.