Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

तावत्कार्पटिकः कश्चित्तल्लोचनपथं गतः । आहूय बहुमानं तमपृच्छच्चाचलेश्वरः

Transliteration

tāvatkārpaṭikaḥ kaścittallocanapathaṃ gataḥ | āhūya bahumānaṃ tamapṛcchaccācaleśvaraḥ

Translation

Da trat ein umherziehender Bettelasket in sein Blickfeld. Der Herr des Berges rief ihn ehrerbietig herbei und befragte ihn.

Word by Word

• तावत्: then; meanwhile
• तावत्: Kala (Temporal/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then/meanwhile)

• कार्पटिकः: a mendicant; rag-wearer
• कार्पटिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्पटिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• कश्चित्: someone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम (indefinite: someone)

• तत्: his; that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (of him/that)

• लोचन-पथम्: the range of (his) sight
• लोचन-पथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोचन (प्रातिपदिक) + पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; लोचनस्य पथः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (range/path of sight)

• गतः: having come; arrived
• गतः: Kriya (Participial predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'gone/arrived'

• आहूय: having called
• आहूय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + हु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव (having called)

• बहुमानम्: honour; respect
• बहुमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहुमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; 'respect/honour'

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (him)

• अपृच्छत्: asked
• अपृच्छत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् लकार (Imperfect/Past); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

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

• अचल-ईश्वरः: the lord of the mountain (Himālaya)
• अचल-ईश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अचल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; अचलस्य ईश्वरः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (lord of the mountain)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī / Avimukta (topic implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A rag-clad wandering mendicant enters the visual field; Himavān, regal and composed, beckons him respectfully, initiating a question that will unfold the sacred account.

Characters & Entities

• Himavān (Acāleśvara)
• Kārpaṭika (mendicant)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence toward holy wanderers and seekers is presented as a dhārmic norm, opening the way for sacred instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage belongs to Kāśī’s glorification, though this verse itself introduces a messenger-like ascetic.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it sets up a respectful inquiry (praśna) as a means of receiving dharma.