Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

वरं वाराणसीरंको निःशंकोयो यमादपि । न वयं त्रिदशायेषां गिरितोपीदृशी दशा

Transliteration

varaṃ vārāṇasīraṃko niḥśaṃkoyo yamādapi | na vayaṃ tridaśāyeṣāṃ giritopīdṛśī daśā

Translation

Besser ist es, in Vārāṇasī arm zu sein und furchtlos zu leben—selbst vor Yama—als anderswo in einen solchen Zustand zu geraten, selbst als Herr unter den Devas auf einem Berggipfel.

Word by Word

• वरम्: better
• वरम्: Sambandha (Discourse marker/वाक्योपक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/क्रियाविशेषण)

• वाराणसी-रंकः: a beggar of Vārāṇasī
• वाराणसी-रंकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक) + रंक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वाराणस्यां रंकः/वाराणसी-सम्बद्धः रंकः)

• निःशंकः: fearless; without doubt
• निःशंकः: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + शंक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; निः-पूर्वक तत्पुरुष (शंका-रहितः)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रयोग (relative)

• यमात्: from Yama (death)
• यमात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण) = particle (‘even’)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• त्रिदशाय: for the gods
• त्रिदशाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), बहुवचन; दान/प्रयोजनार्थे (‘for the gods’)

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

• गिरितः: from a mountain
• गिरितः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अवधारण)

• ईदृशी: such
• ईदृशी: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘दशा’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• दशा: condition; state
• दशा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poor pilgrim in Kāśī stands serene near Maṇikarṇikā/ghāṭa fires; a shadowy Yama figure recedes powerless. In contrast, a glittering deva-lord on a mountain appears distant yet bound by anxiety.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī
• Yama
• Tridaśa (Devas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Material status is secondary; dwelling in Kāśī grants spiritual fearlessness and security superior to exalted heavenly positions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī/Kāśī, praised as a place where even the fear of Yama is dispelled.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes the value of Kāśīvāsa itself as the highest choice.