Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

सदंभा निम्नगाराजिर्न यत्र जनता क्वचित् । कुलान्येव कुलीनानि न चान्यायधनानि च

Transliteration

sadaṃbhā nimnagārājirna yatra janatā kvacit | kulānyeva kulīnāni na cānyāyadhanāni ca

Translation

Dort wird das Volk nirgends hochmütig sein; die Läufe der Flüsse werden schön und geordnet sein. Die Geschlechter werden wahrhaft edel sein, und es wird keinen durch Unrecht erworbenen Reichtum geben.

Word by Word

• सदंभाः: with pride/ostentation
• सदंभाः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपपद) + दंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• निम्नगाराजिः: a line/series of rivers (streams)
• निम्नगाराजिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निम्नगा (प्रातिपदिक) + राजि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• जनता: people; populace
• जनता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• क्वचित्: anywhere; at any time
• क्वचित्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (indefinite adverb: anywhere/ever)

• कुलानि: families
• कुलानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Plural)

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (restrictive particle)

• कुलीनानि: noble; of good lineage
• कुलीनानि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुलीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Plural)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

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

• अन्यायधनानि: unjust/ill-gotten wealths
• अन्यायधनानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्याय (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (Neuter, Nominative, Plural)

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

Speaker

Gaṇas (continuing speech, deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm riverine city where people move without arrogance: respectful greetings, fair trade, charitable acts; rivers flow in clean, orderly channels; households embody nobility through conduct.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True prosperity is dharmic: humility, noble conduct, and wealth free from injustice are signs of a meritorious, well-ordered realm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse continues the Kāśī-khaṇḍa merit narrative that frames such ethical prosperity as a fruit of puṇya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse emphasizes moral restraint—avoiding anyāya (injustice) and its gains.