Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

कृतधीभ्योपि कर्तारः कर्तृभ्यो ब्रह्मतत्पराः । न तेषामर्चनीयोऽन्यस्त्रिषु लोकेषु कुंभज

Transliteration

kṛtadhībhyopi kartāraḥ kartṛbhyo brahmatatparāḥ | na teṣāmarcanīyo'nyastriṣu lokeṣu kuṃbhaja

Translation

Höher noch als die Vollendeten im Geist sind die Handelnden, die das Dharma verwirklichen; höher als die Handelnden sind jene, die ganz auf Brahman ausgerichtet sind. Für solche, o Kumbhaja, ist in den drei Welten kein anderer verehrungswürdig.

Word by Word

• कृतधीभ्यः: than the firm-minded
• कृतधीभ्यः: Apadana (Standard of comparison/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय ("कृता धीः" = firm understanding)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपवाद/समुच्चयार्थक

• कर्तारः: doers/agents
• कर्तारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कर्तृभ्यः: than the doers
• कर्तृभ्यः: Apadana (Standard of comparison/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तुलना-अर्थे

• ब्रह्मतत्पराः: devoted to Brahman
• ब्रह्मतत्पराः: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ ("ब्रह्मणि तत्पराः" = devoted to Brahman)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अर्चनीयः: worthy of worship
• अर्चनीयः: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) + अनीय (कृत्प्रत्यय) → अर्चनीय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनीय-प्रत्यय (gerundive: "worthy to be worshipped")

• अन्यः: another (any other)
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्रिषु: in the three
• त्रिषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• लोकेषु: worlds
• लोकेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कुंभज: O Kumbhaja (Agastya)
• कुंभज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (अगस्त्य-नाम)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-kṣetra (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kumbhaja (Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A realized devotee stands before a simple liṅga (Viśveśvara) with unwavering gaze; other deities and worldly attractions fade into the background, while a radiant Brahman-light fills the scene; the sage addresses Kumbhaja nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Agastya (Kumbhaja)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It ranks spiritual excellence: mature understanding, dharmic action, and finally unwavering devotion to Brahman as the highest attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the doctrinal backdrop: the city of liberation where Brahman-realization is treated as the summit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship (arcana) is referenced negatively: for the Brahman-devoted, no other object of worship is considered higher or necessary.