Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । यात्रा परिक्रमं ब्रूहि जनानां हितकाम्यया । यथावत्सिद्धिकामानां सत्यवत्याः सुतोत्तम

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | yātrā parikramaṃ brūhi janānāṃ hitakāmyayā | yathāvatsiddhikāmānāṃ satyavatyāḥ sutottama

Translation

Sūta sprach: O Bester unter den Söhnen Satyavatīs, aus Mitgefühl und zum Wohle der Menschen, lege den yātrā-parikramā, den Pilger-Umgang, rechtmäßig dar, damit die nach Vollendung und Erfolg Strebenden ihm richtig folgen können.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यात्रा: the pilgrimage
• यात्रा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (कर्मरूपे)

• परिक्रमम्: the circuit/route
• परिक्रमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ब्रूहि: tell (please)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जनानाम्: of people
• जनानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• हितकाम्यया: with the desire for their welfare
• हितकाम्यया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक) + काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (हितस्य काम्यया = हितेच्छया)

• यथावत्: properly
• यथावत्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — ‘properly/as it should be’

• सिद्धिकामानाम्: of those desiring success/accomplishment
• सिद्धिकामानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सिद्धेः कामाः येषाम्)

• सत्यवत्याः: of Satyavatī
• सत्यवत्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• सुतोत्तम: O best of sons
• सुतोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (उत्तमः सुतः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-yātrā-parikramā (city pilgrimage circuit)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vyāsa (addressed as Satyavatī’s best son)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sūta in a recitation assembly, hands folded, requesting Vyāsa (Satyavatī’s son) to explain the parikramā; listeners behind, suggesting the ‘people’s welfare’ motive.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa)
• Vyāsa
• Satyavatī
• Yātrā-parikrama
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is framed as compassionate public dharma—guidance is requested so seekers may practice correctly and gain auspicious results.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces the Kāśī yātrā-parikramā as a whole; specific tīrthas are listed in the following verses.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A request for ‘yathāvat’ (proper) method—implying procedural correctness in pilgrimage practice.