Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

चतुर्षु भूतग्रामेषु ह्येक एव गुणो नृणाम् । तस्मिन्वै भारते वर्षे कर्मभूमौ महीयसि

Transliteration

caturṣu bhūtagrāmeṣu hyeka eva guṇo nṛṇām | tasminvai bhārate varṣe karmabhūmau mahīyasi

Translation

Unter den vier Gemeinschaften der Wesen besitzen allein die Menschen diese besondere Vorzüglichkeit—zumal in Bhārata-varṣa, dem großen Land, dem Feld des Karma.

Word by Word

• चतुर्षु: in the four
• चतुर्षु: Adhikaraṇa (location/domain)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• भूतग्रामेषु: among the groups of beings
• भूतग्रामेषु: Adhikaraṇa (location/domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (भूतानां ग्रामः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतु (indeed/for)

• एकः: one
• एकः: Viśeṣaṇa (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: only; just
• एव: Sambandha (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• गुणः: quality; virtue
• गुणः: Karta (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), निश्चय/प्रसिद्धि (indeed)

• भारते: in Bhārata
• भारते: Viśeṣaṇa (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying varṣe)

• वर्षे: in the land/region (varṣa)
• वर्षे: Adhikaraṇa (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्मभूमौ: in the land of action
• कर्मभूमौ: Adhikaraṇa (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म + भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (कर्मणः भूमिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महीयसि: in the greater/most excellent (land)
• महीयसि: Viśeṣaṇa (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महीयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative) विशेषण

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhārata-varṣa (as karmabhūmi) / Kāśī (as mokṣa-kṣetra exemplar)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic map-like vision: the four ‘assemblies of beings’ contrasted, with humans highlighted holding a lamp of discernment; Bhārata-varṣa depicted as a sacred landmass with Kāśī glowing like a jewel on the Gaṅgā.

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata-varṣa
• Karma-bhūmi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human birth—particularly in Bhārata-varṣa—is a privileged chance to perform dharma and seek liberation through right action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a single tīrtha is named, but the Kāśī-khaṇḍa context ties this teaching to India’s sacred landscape, with Kāśī as preeminent.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse frames Bhārata-varṣa as the arena where spiritual practice and karma bear decisive fruit.