Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

अदंभको निरारंभो लघ्वाहारो जितेंद्रियः । विमुक्तसर्वसंगैर्यः स तीर्थफलमश्नुते

Transliteration

adaṃbhako nirāraṃbho laghvāhāro jiteṃdriyaḥ | vimuktasarvasaṃgairyaḥ sa tīrthaphalamaśnute

Translation

Wer ohne Heuchelei ist, sich nicht in selbstsüchtiger Schaustellung ergeht, leicht isst, die Sinne bezwungen hat und von allen Bindungen gelöst ist—der erlangt die volle Frucht der Tīrthas.

Word by Word

• अदंभकः: non-hypocritical, without ostentation
• अदंभकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-दंभक (प्रातिपदिक; दंभ + अ- उपसर्ग/नञ्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-निषेधार्थ विशेषण (non-ostentatious)

• निरारंभः: without (worldly) undertakings
• निरारंभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-आरंभ (प्रातिपदिक; निर्- उपसर्ग + आरंभ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (one who does not undertake/does not initiate worldly enterprises)

• लघ्वाहारः: of light diet, moderate eater
• लघ्वाहारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लघु + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः तत्पुरुषः (लघुः आहारः यस्य/लघुः आहारः)

• जितेन्द्रियः: one who has conquered the senses
• जितेन्द्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (कृदन्त; √जि (धातु) क्त) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जितानि इन्द्रियाणि येन)

• विमुक्तसर्वसंगैः: freed from all attachments
• विमुक्तसर्वसंगैः: Hetu/Karana (Instrument/हेतु-करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुक्त (कृदन्त; वि-√मुच् क्त) + सर्व + संग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (सर्वेभ्यः संगैः विमुक्तः)

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

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देशार्थ सर्वनाम (correlative)

• तीर्थफलम्: the fruit of pilgrimage
• तीर्थफलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थस्य फलम्)

• अश्नुते: attains, enjoys
• अश्नुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (general tīrtha principle within Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble pilgrim in simple cloth walks along a Kāśī ghat at dawn, carrying minimal belongings, eyes lowered in restraint; the Ganga glows softly while temple spires rise behind, suggesting inner detachment amid sacred bustle.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage bears full fruit only when supported by inner purity—simplicity, sense-control, and non-attachment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is framed within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, pointing to the tīrthas of Kāśī and their proper approach.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not a specific rite, but ethical disciplines (light diet, self-restraint, freedom from hypocrisy and attachment) as the qualifying ‘vidhi’ for tīrthaphala.