Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

इत्थमेतद्व्रतं राजंश्चिकीर्षामि त्वया सह । कुरु चैतत्प्रियं मह्यमभीष्टफललब्धये

Transliteration

itthametadvrataṃ rājaṃścikīrṣāmi tvayā saha | kuru caitatpriyaṃ mahyamabhīṣṭaphalalabdhaye

Translation

„So ist dieses Gelübde, o König; ich wünsche, es gemeinsam mit dir zu vollziehen. Tu dies mir zuliebe, damit die ersehnte Frucht erlangt werde.“

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of ‘vrata’)

• व्रतम्: vow; observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• चिकीर्षामि: I wish to perform
• चिकीर्षामि: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु; √कृ)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; desiderative stem (सन्नन्त) ‘चिकीर्ष-’ = ‘wish to do’

• त्वया: with you; by you
• त्वया: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय; सहार्थक (with)

• कुरु: do; perform
• कुरु: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु; √कृ)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (and)

• एतत्: this (act/observance)
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रियम्: pleasing; dear
• प्रियम्: Karma-pravacaniya/Predicate complement (Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• मह्यम्: for me
• मह्यम्: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• अभीष्टफललब्धये: for attaining the desired result
• अभीष्टफललब्धये: Prayojana (Purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभीष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + लब्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; ‘अभीष्टस्य फलस्य लब्धिः’ (attainment of desired fruit)

Speaker

A queen/royal lady addressing the king (deduced from ‘rājan’ and narrative flow)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājā (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage addresses a king, explaining the vow and requesting joint observance; the king listens attentively in a Kāśī setting with ritual implements nearby.

Characters & Entities

• rājan (king)
• vrata
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Shared righteous observance—performed in harmony—supports the attainment of legitimate desires within dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The vow is taught within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa framework, implying Kāśī’s special potency for fulfilling dharmic aspirations.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A joint performance of the specified vrata by husband and wife for attaining the intended fruit.