Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

कृतधीभ्योपि कर्तारः कर्तृभ्यो ब्रह्मतत्पराः । न तेषामर्चनीयोऽन्यस्त्रिषु लोकेषु कुंभज

Transliteration

kṛtadhībhyopi kartāraḥ kartṛbhyo brahmatatparāḥ | na teṣāmarcanīyo'nyastriṣu lokeṣu kuṃbhaja

Translation

أرفعُ من أصحابِ العقلِ المُكتمِل هم العاملون الذين يُقيمون الدَّرما؛ وأرفعُ من العاملين أولئك المُتفرِّغون كليًّا لبراهمن. فلهؤلاء، يا كُمبهَجا، لا أحدَ غيرُه جديرٌ بالعبادة في العوالم الثلاثة.

Word by Word

• कृतधीभ्यः: than the firm-minded
• कृतधीभ्यः: Apadana (Standard of comparison/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय ("कृता धीः" = firm understanding)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपवाद/समुच्चयार्थक

• कर्तारः: doers/agents
• कर्तारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कर्तृभ्यः: than the doers
• कर्तृभ्यः: Apadana (Standard of comparison/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तुलना-अर्थे

• ब्रह्मतत्पराः: devoted to Brahman
• ब्रह्मतत्पराः: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ ("ब्रह्मणि तत्पराः" = devoted to Brahman)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अर्चनीयः: worthy of worship
• अर्चनीयः: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) + अनीय (कृत्प्रत्यय) → अर्चनीय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनीय-प्रत्यय (gerundive: "worthy to be worshipped")

• अन्यः: another (any other)
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्रिषु: in the three
• त्रिषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• लोकेषु: worlds
• लोकेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कुंभज: O Kumbhaja (Agastya)
• कुंभज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (अगस्त्य-नाम)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-kṣetra (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kumbhaja (Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A realized devotee stands before a simple liṅga (Viśveśvara) with unwavering gaze; other deities and worldly attractions fade into the background, while a radiant Brahman-light fills the scene; the sage addresses Kumbhaja nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Agastya (Kumbhaja)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It ranks spiritual excellence: mature understanding, dharmic action, and finally unwavering devotion to Brahman as the highest attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the doctrinal backdrop: the city of liberation where Brahman-realization is treated as the summit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship (arcana) is referenced negatively: for the Brahman-devoted, no other object of worship is considered higher or necessary.