Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

तस्मान्न कामयेतात्र वाङ्मनःकर्मणाप्यघह म् । शुचौ पथि सदा स्थेयं महालाभमभीप्सुभिः

Transliteration

tasmānna kāmayetātra vāṅmanaḥkarmaṇāpyaghaha m | śucau pathi sadā stheyaṃ mahālābhamabhīpsubhiḥ

Translation

Darum soll man dort die Sünde nicht begehren — weder durch Wort, noch durch Geist, noch durch Tat. Wer den höchsten Gewinn erstrebt, soll stets auf dem reinen Pfad verweilen.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (therefore/from that)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• कामयेत्: should desire
• कामयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कम्/काम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• वाक्: by speech
• वाक्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘वाचा’ अर्थे (by speech)

• मनः: by mind
• मनः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘मनसा’ अर्थे (by mind)

• कर्मणा: by action
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (by action/deed)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (even)

• अघम्: sin/evil
• अघम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुचौ: in purity / on a pure (path)
• शुचौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (in a pure [place/way])

• पथि: on the path
• पथि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (always)

• स्थेयम्: should be maintained/abided in
• स्थेयम्: Kriya (Injunctive duty/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (one should stand/abide)

• महा-लाभम्: great gain
• महा-लाभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + लाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् लाभः)

• अभीप्सुभिः: by those who seek
• अभीप्सुभिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभीप्सु (कृदन्त; √आप् with अभि, desiderative sense)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त/इच्छार्थक (by those desiring)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration, typically to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Interlocutor within Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim on a bright, clean path through Kāśī: ghāṭas washed by morning light, temple spires ahead; the pilgrim restrains speech and senses, hands in añjali, avoiding dark alley temptations symbolized as shadowy figures.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (implied)
• Kālabhairava (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True purity is threefold—thought, word, and deed—and it is the foundation for attaining the highest spiritual profit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī/Avimukta is implied as the sacred place where purity is especially urged and rewarded.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general discipline is prescribed: avoid sin in thought, speech, and action; follow a śuci (pure) way of life.