Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणोक्तं परिक्षुण्णं महाजनैः । धर्मसोपानमारुह्य यदिहायांति हेलया

Transliteration

śrutismṛtipurāṇoktaṃ parikṣuṇṇaṃ mahājanaiḥ | dharmasopānamāruhya yadihāyāṃti helayā

Translation

Selbst nachdem man die Stufen des Dharma erklommen hat—gelehrt in Śruti, Smṛti und den Purāṇas und von den Großen wohl beschritten—fallen manche hier durch bloße Nachlässigkeit wieder ab.

Word by Word

• श्रुति-स्मृति-पुराण-उक्तम्: stated in the Vedas, Smṛtis, and Purāṇas
• श्रुति-स्मृति-पुराण-उक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; समासः: तत्पुरुष ‘श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणेषु उक्तम्’ (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• परिक्षुण्णम्: well-established, thoroughly confirmed
• परिक्षुण्णम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-क्षुद्/क्षुण्ण (धातु/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Past passive participle ‘well-ground/fully established’; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महाजनैः: by great people
• महाजनैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• धर्म-सोपानम्: the staircase/steps of dharma
• धर्म-सोपानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + सोपान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; समासः: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी) ‘धर्मस्य सोपानम्’

• आरुह्य: having climbed
• आरुह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त) — gerund ‘having ascended’; from √रुह् with उपसर्ग आ

• यत्: which (thing/person)
• यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter pronoun, Nominative (1st), Singular

• इह: here
• इह: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Locative adjunct/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) — indeclinable adverb ‘here/in this world’

• आयान्ति: they come/arrive
• आयान्ति: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Present indicative, 3rd person, Plural; परस्मैपदी

• हेलया: through carelessness, casually
• हेलया: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: General audience / dvija addressee

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stone stairway labeled ‘Dharma’ rising toward a radiant Śiva shrine; a pilgrim climbs steadily while another slips on a loose step labeled ‘helā/pramāda’; sages stand as guides holding scriptures.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural knowledge and good beginnings are not enough; negligence can undo dharma unless one remains attentive and disciplined.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a direct tirtha-praise verse; it frames the conduct expected of pilgrims and seekers within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it stresses sustained adherence to dharma taught by Śruti, Smṛti, and Purāṇas.