Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

ततः कृष्णं समापृच्छ्य कर्मनिर्मुक्तचेष्टितः । नारदः कृतकृत्यः सन्ययावाकाशवर्त्मना

Transliteration

tataḥ kṛṣṇaṃ samāpṛcchya karmanirmuktaceṣṭitaḥ | nāradaḥ kṛtakṛtyaḥ sanyayāvākāśavartmanā

Translation

ثم بعد أن استأذن كريشنا (Kṛṣṇa)، انطلق نارادا (Nārada)—وقد تمّت غايته وانفكت قيوده عن الفعل—سالكًا طريق السماء.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (then, thereafter)

• kṛṣṇam: Krishna
• kṛṣṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• samāpṛcchya: having asked (leave)
• samāpṛcchya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam-ā-√pṛcch (पृच्छ् धातु) + ya (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): 'having asked/taken leave'

• karma-nirmukta-ceṣṭitaḥ: whose conduct was freed from (worldly) action
• karma-nirmukta-ceṣṭitaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + nirmukta (√muc + kta) + ceṣṭita (√ceṣṭ + kta)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'nāradaḥ' इति विशेषण (nom. sg)

• nāradaḥ: Nārada
• nāradaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (nominative singular)

• kṛta-kṛtyaḥ: having fulfilled his purpose
• kṛta-kṛtyaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (√kṛ + kta) + kṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषसमासः; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'nāradaḥ' इति विशेषण (one who has accomplished what is to be done)

• san: being
• san: Sahakari (Concomitant state/सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: as (अस् धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'being' (participial, agreeing with nāradaḥ)

• yayau: went
• yayau: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (या धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (perfect: went)

• ākāśa-vartmanā: by the path of the sky (through the air)
• ākāśa-vartmanā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक) + vartman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

Speaker

Nārada (as narrated within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada, veena in hand, takes leave of Kṛṣṇa and rises into the sky-path; below, Kṛṣṇa remains thoughtful, the counsel set.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Kṛṣṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine messenger facilitates dharmic correction and then withdraws—guidance is given, and the seeker must act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is directly praised in this verse; it functions as a narrative transition toward Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes Nārada’s departure after advising the course of action.