Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

वस्तव्यं सततं काश्यां यष्टव्योहं प्रयत्नतः । जेतव्यौ कलिकालौ च रंतव्या मुक्तिरंगना

Transliteration

vastavyaṃ satataṃ kāśyāṃ yaṣṭavyohaṃ prayatnataḥ | jetavyau kalikālau ca raṃtavyā muktiraṃganā

Translation

Man soll beständig in Kāśī wohnen; Mich mit ernsthaftem Eifer verehren; die Übel des Kali-Zeitalters bezwingen; und sich an der Befreiung erfreuen, der edlen Gefährtin.

Word by Word

• vastavyam: to be dwelt in; one should reside
• vastavyam: Kriyā (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vas (धातु) + tavya (कृत्)
• Form: भाव्य/कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विधेय-भावे ‘वस्तव्यम्’ = ‘one should dwell’

• satatam: always, continually
• satatam: Kāla/Prakāra (Continuity/काल-प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverb)

• kāśyām: in Kāśī
• kāśyām: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• yaṣṭavyaḥ: to be worshipped/sacrificed to
• yaṣṭavyaḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yaj (धातु) + tavya (कृत्)
• Form: कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘अहम्’ इति कर्तृ-विशेषणम्

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• prayatnataḥ: with effort, diligently
• prayatnataḥ: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prayatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb) = ‘with effort’

• jetavyau: to be conquered
• jetavyau: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ji (धातु) + tavya (कृत्)
• Form: कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; ‘कलिकालौ’ इति विशेषणम्

• kali-kālau: the Kali age (as an adversary)
• kali-kālau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kali (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; कर्मधारयः (कलिः एव कालः)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• raṃtavyā: to be enjoyed/delighted in
• raṃtavyā: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ram (धातु) + tavya (कृत्)
• Form: कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘मुक्तिरङ्गना’ इति विशेषणम्

• mukti-raṃganā: liberation as a beloved woman
• mukti-raṃganā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक) + raṃganā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (मुक्तिः एव रङ्गना)

Speaker

Śiva (as Maheśāna)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devotees/brāhmaṇas (instructional address)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-householder living in Kāśī performs Śiva-pūjā; shadowy figures symbolizing Kali’s vices retreat; Mukti appears as a radiant noble lady (raṅgaṇa) with a garland, while the Gaṅgā and temples witness.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Kali-yuga
• Mukti
• Śiva (implied by aham)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Make Kāśī your spiritual home, worship Śiva diligently, overcome Kali-yuga’s pull, and rest in the joy of liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), recommended as a continual place of residence for spiritual victory.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship of Śiva (‘yaṣṭavyo’ham’) and the discipline of Kāśīvāsa (living in Kāśī) are directly prescribed.