Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

सदंभा निम्नगाराजिर्न यत्र जनता क्वचित् । कुलान्येव कुलीनानि न चान्यायधनानि च

Transliteration

sadaṃbhā nimnagārājirna yatra janatā kvacit | kulānyeva kulīnāni na cānyāyadhanāni ca

Translation

هناك لا يتكبر الناس في موضعٍ قطّ؛ وتكون مجاري الأنهار حسنةً منتظمة. وتكون الأسر حقًّا كريمة النسب، ولا يكون مالٌ مُكتسَبٌ بالظلم.

Word by Word

• सदंभाः: with pride/ostentation
• सदंभाः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपपद) + दंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• निम्नगाराजिः: a line/series of rivers (streams)
• निम्नगाराजिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निम्नगा (प्रातिपदिक) + राजि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• जनता: people; populace
• जनता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• क्वचित्: anywhere; at any time
• क्वचित्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (indefinite adverb: anywhere/ever)

• कुलानि: families
• कुलानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Plural)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (restrictive particle)

• कुलीनानि: noble; of good lineage
• कुलीनानि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुलीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Plural)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

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

• अन्यायधनानि: unjust/ill-gotten wealths
• अन्यायधनानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्याय (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (Neuter, Nominative, Plural)

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

Speaker

Gaṇas (continuing speech, deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm riverine city where people move without arrogance: respectful greetings, fair trade, charitable acts; rivers flow in clean, orderly channels; households embody nobility through conduct.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True prosperity is dharmic: humility, noble conduct, and wealth free from injustice are signs of a meritorious, well-ordered realm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse continues the Kāśī-khaṇḍa merit narrative that frames such ethical prosperity as a fruit of puṇya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse emphasizes moral restraint—avoiding anyāya (injustice) and its gains.