Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

कांक्षंति दीर्घतपसे चिरमायुर्जितेंद्रियाः । धनं दानाय पुत्राय कलत्रं मुक्तये धियम्

Transliteration

kāṃkṣaṃti dīrghatapase ciramāyurjiteṃdriyāḥ | dhanaṃ dānāya putrāya kalatraṃ muktaye dhiyam

Translation

Die ihre Sinne bezwungen haben, begehren langen Tapas und langes Leben; Reichtum suchen sie für Dāna, einen Sohn für die Linie, einen Gatten für Dharma — und unterscheidende Einsicht für die Befreiung (Mokṣa).

Word by Word

• काङ्क्षन्ति: they desire
• काङ्क्षन्ति: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: काङ्क्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• दीर्घतपसे: for long austerity
• दीर्घतपसे: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घ-तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb)

• आयुः: life-span
• आयुः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• जितेन्द्रियाः: having conquered the senses
• जितेन्द्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित-इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifying the subject)

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दानाय: for giving (charity)
• दानाय: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुत्राय: for a son
• पुत्राय: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कलत्रम्: a wife
• कलत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मुक्तये: for liberation
• मुक्तये: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• धियम्: understanding, intellect
• धियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual, Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis (standard frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative teaching scene in Kāśī: ascetics and householders listening as the aims of life are enumerated—tapas, āyus, dāna, putra, kalatra, and mokṣa-buddhi—against a backdrop of ghats and temples.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly aims are to be aligned with dharma, while the highest aim is mokṣa supported by purified intellect and self-control.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) framework is implied, though this verse itself states a general dharma principle.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (charitable giving) is explicitly praised as the proper purpose of wealth.