Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

वर्णाश्रमाश्च यद्राष्ट्रे ऽनुतिष्ठंति निजां क्रियाम् । कालेनापन्ननिधना भूपास्तेऽस्य सभासदः

Transliteration

varṇāśramāśca yadrāṣṭre 'nutiṣṭhaṃti nijāṃ kriyām | kālenāpannanidhanā bhūpāste'sya sabhāsadaḥ

Translation

In dessen Reich die Varṇas und Āśramas ihre eigenen Pflichten ordnungsgemäß vollziehen—jene Könige werden, wenn ihre Zeit kommt und sie ihr Ende finden, Mitglieder seines (Yamas) Hofes.

Word by Word

• वर्णाश्रमाः: the varṇas and āśramas (social classes and life-stages)
• वर्णाश्रमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (वर्णाश्च आश्रमाश्च)

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

• यत्: in which
• यत्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• राष्ट्रे: in the kingdom
• राष्ट्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अनुतिष्ठन्ति: carry out, observe
• अनुतिष्ठन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• निजाम्: their own
• निजाम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• क्रियाम्: duty, prescribed practice
• क्रियाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कालेन: in due course of time, by time
• कालेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• आपन्ननिधनाः: having met death (i.e., having died)
• आपन्ननिधनाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आपन्न + निधन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः (आपन्नं निधनं येषाम्)

• भूपाः: kings
• भूपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• सभासदः: councillors
• सभासदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सभा + सद् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A prosperous kingdom: brāhmaṇas teaching, kṣatriyas guarding, vaiśyas trading, householders performing rites; the king oversees with humility; a subtle time-wheel (kāla-cakra) hints at mortality and Yama’s court beyond.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Varṇāśrama (concept)
• Bhūpa (Kings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A ruler’s greatness is measured by how well dharma flourishes under his protection—social and spiritual duties sustained without coercion into adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s broader Kāśī-mahātmya context frames these teachings, though this verse is primarily political-ethical.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is societal: each varṇa and āśrama should perform its own prescribed duties properly.