Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

कृच्छ्रचांद्रायणादीनि कर्तव्यानि प्रयत्नतः । तथेंद्रियविकाराश्च न बाधंतेत्र कर्हिचित्

Transliteration

kṛcchracāṃdrāyaṇādīni kartavyāni prayatnataḥ | tatheṃdriyavikārāśca na bādhaṃtetra karhicit

Translation

Man soll mit Eifer Gelübde wie Kṛcchra, Cāndrāyaṇa und dergleichen ausführen. Dann behindern die Störungen und Regungen der Sinne hier zu keiner Zeit.

Word by Word

• कृच्छ्र-चांद्रायण-आदीनि: Kṛcchra- and Cāndrāyaṇa-type (vows/penances) and others
• कृच्छ्र-चांद्रायण-आदीनि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक) + चांद्रायण (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (समुच्चय) + आदिशब्देन बहुव्रीह्यर्थे ‘आदि’ (and others)

• कर्तव्यानि: to be done; obligatory
• कर्तव्यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तव्य (तव्यत्-कृदन्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; विधेयविशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort; diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त), क्रियाविशेषणम्

• तथा: likewise; thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अव्यय-उपपद/समुच्चयार्थे

• इन्द्रिय-विकाराः: sensory disturbances/changes
• इन्द्रिय-विकाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (इन्द्रियाणां विकाराः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

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

• बाधन्ते: they trouble/afflict
• बाधन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बाध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• कर्हिचित्: ever; at any time
• कर्हिचित्: Kāla-adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कर्हि (अव्यय) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (at any time)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution within Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogues)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (dialogue frame continues)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disciplined pilgrim in Kāśī undertakes austere observances—measured meals, night-eating restraint, and fasting—while the senses are depicted as subdued, no longer disturbing meditation near a Gaṅgā ghāṭa and a distant liṅga shrine.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Earnest observance of expiatory vows purifies conduct and steadies the senses so obstacles subside.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to the Kāśī Khaṇḍa framework, where Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is the sacred setting for dharma and purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of prāyaścitta-vratas such as Kṛcchra and Cāndrāyaṇa with sustained effort.