Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

कथं कर्तुमहं शक्तः कर्म तत्र दिशाद्भुतम् । कुरु मे बुद्धिसाहाय्यं निर्जने बंधुतां गतः

Transliteration

kathaṃ kartumahaṃ śaktaḥ karma tatra diśādbhutam | kuru me buddhisāhāyyaṃ nirjane baṃdhutāṃ gataḥ

Translation

كيف أقدر أن أُنجز تلك المهمة العجيبة، كأنها فوق كل مدى وعسيرة الإدراك؟ امنحني عون الفهم السديد—فقد صرتَ لي في هذا الموضع الخالي كقريبٍ وسند.

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Sambandha (Interrogative/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययम् / interrogative adverb)

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Karma (Object of ability/intent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), कृ-धातोः

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative)

• शक्तः: able
• शक्तः: Karta (Predicate adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शक्-सम्भव/शक्त-विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (able)

• कर्म: the act/work
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक / locative adverb)

• दिशा: by direction / by indication
• दिशा: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental)

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful, marvelous
• अद्भुतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying कर्म)

• कुरु: do (please do)
• कुरु: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• मे: for me / my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/for me)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, षष्ठी (Genitive)

• बुद्धि-साहाय्यम्: help of counsel / guidance
• बुद्धि-साहाय्यम्: Karma (Object of कुरु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + साहाय्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (बुद्धेः साहाय्यम् = help of counsel)

• निर्जने: in a lonely place
• निर्जने: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Locative); स्थानवाचक

• बंधुताम्: kinship, friendliness
• बंधुताम्: Karma (Object with गतः: attained)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बंधुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative)

• गतः: having attained / having come to
• गतः: Karta (Predicate participle of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (one who has gone/attained)

Speaker

Tvāṣṭra (the seeker)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone brahmacārin in a quiet forest clearing folds hands before a compassionate ascetic, pleading for guidance; distant suggestion of Kāśī’s sanctity as an unseen spiritual axis.

Characters & Entities

• Tvāṣṭra
• Tāpasa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma feels difficult, one should seek wise counsel; spiritual friendship in solitude becomes a lifeline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative belongs to Kāśīkhaṇḍa, oriented toward Kāśī and Viśveśvara’s grace, though this verse is a personal plea for guidance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the request is for buddhi (discernment) and instruction.