Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

श्रुतिस्मृतिभ्यामुदितं स्वेषु स्वेषु च कर्मसु । सदाचारं निषेवेत धर्ममूलमतंद्रितः

Transliteration

śrutismṛtibhyāmuditaṃ sveṣu sveṣu ca karmasu | sadācāraṃ niṣeveta dharmamūlamataṃdritaḥ

Translation

Man soll eifrig die rechte Lebensführung pflegen—die Wurzel des Dharma—wie es Śruti und Smṛti verkünden, jeweils bezogen auf die eigenen Pflichten und Handlungen.

Word by Word

• श्रुतिस्मृतिभ्याम्: by śruti and smṛti
• श्रुतिस्मृतिभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (श्रुतिश्च स्मृतिश्च)

• उदितम्: declared, stated
• उदितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + √इ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वेषु: in their own
• स्वेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• स्वेषु: in each respective
• स्वेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन (पुनरुक्तिः—वितरणार्थम्)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• कर्मसु: in (their) duties/acts
• कर्मसु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• सदाचारम्: good conduct
• सदाचारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• निषेवेत: should practise/serve
• निषेवेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √सेव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• धर्ममूलम्: the root of dharma
• धर्ममूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य मूलम्)

• अतन्द्रितः: unwearied, not lazy
• अतन्द्रितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + तन्द्रित (प्रातिपदिक; √तन्द्र् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (not lazy)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: General audience; framed as instruction to the practitioner

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A threefold emblem: Śruti as Veda manuscripts, Smṛti as dharma-śāstra text, and Ācāra as a person performing daily duties; the sage gestures to all three, indicating their harmony; Kāśī ghats appear as backdrop to show pilgrimage integrated with duty.

Characters & Entities

• Śruti
• Smṛti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is sustained by disciplined conduct aligned with Śruti–Smṛti and applied as svadharma in one’s own life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Kāśī Khaṇḍa discourse but does not name a particular tīrtha; it focuses on scriptural foundations of conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general prescription is given: diligently follow sadācāra in accordance with Śruti and Smṛti within one’s duties.