Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

कृष्टिभिर्हृष्टपुष्टैश्च रम्यहाटकभूषणैः । संजुष्टमिष्टापूर्तानां धर्माणां नित्यकर्तृभिः

Transliteration

kṛṣṭibhirhṛṣṭapuṣṭaiśca ramyahāṭakabhūṣaṇaiḥ | saṃjuṣṭamiṣṭāpūrtānāṃ dharmāṇāṃ nityakartṛbhiḥ

Translation

Dein Reich wird von fröhlichen und wohlgenährten Menschen bewohnt sein, geschmückt mit lieblichen goldenen Zieraten, und erfüllt von denen, die beständig die Dharmas von iṣṭa und pūrta vollziehen: Opferverehrung und öffentliche Wohltaten.

Word by Word

• कृष्टिभिः: by/with cultivations; by cultivated people/communities
• कृष्टिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/सह), बहुवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Plural)

• हृष्टपुष्टैः: with the joyful and well-nourished
• हृष्टपुष्टैः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (कृदन्त/विशेषण) + पुष्ट (कृदन्त/विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमास (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; copulative compound)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• रम्यहाटकभूषणैः: with beautiful golden ornaments
• रम्यहाटकभूषणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + हाटक (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural; determinative compound)

• संजुष्टम्: adorned/filled
• संजुष्टम्: Visheshya-Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+जुष् (धातु) → संजुष्ट (कृदन्त, भूतकर्मणि/क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; past passive participle)

• इष्टापूर्तानाम्: of sacrifices and charitable works (iṣṭa & pūrta)
• इष्टापूर्तानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + आपूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमास (Neuter, Genitive, Plural; copulative compound)

• धर्माणाम्: of duties/virtues
• धर्माणाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• नित्यकर्तृभिः: by constant performers (of duties)
• नित्यकर्तृभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; determinative compound)

Speaker

Gaṇas (continuing speech, deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene, prosperous sacred cityscape: contented citizens with golden ornaments, priests and householders engaged in worship, and public works (wells, rest-houses) indicating pūrta-dharma.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A righteous society is defined not only by wealth but by continual iṣṭa-pūrta dharma—worship and public charity—linking prosperity to virtue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse describes an ideal kingdom; within Kāśī-khaṇḍa, it supports the larger message that sacred merit cultivates dharmic prosperity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular practice of iṣṭa (rites/worship) and pūrta (charitable public works such as building temples, wells, shelters).