Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

आप्तभावेन च वयं पादौ तव सुखप्रदौ । सदाराः ससुताश्चैव शुश्रूषामो दिवानिशम्

Transliteration

āptabhāvena ca vayaṃ pādau tava sukhapradau | sadārāḥ sasutāścaiva śuśrūṣāmo divāniśam

Translation

And with loyal devotion we serve your feet, which bestow happiness—together with our wives and sons—day and night.

Word by Word

• आप्तभावेन: with faithful affection
• आप्तभावेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप्त (कृदन्त; √आप् (धातु) क्त) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आप्तस्य भावः = trust/affection)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-सम्बन्धक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• पादौ: (your) two feet
• पादौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सुखप्रदौ: bestowing happiness
• सुखप्रदौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (कृदन्त; √दा (धातु) + क)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सुखं प्रददाति इति) विशेषणम् (पादौ)

• सदाराः: together with (our) wives
• सदाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्ययार्थ) + दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—अव्ययीभाव (सदाराः = with wives)

• ससुताः: together with (our) sons
• ससुताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्ययार्थ) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—अव्ययीभाव (ससुताः = with sons/children)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-सम्बन्धक अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• शुश्रूषामः: we serve/we attend upon
• शुश्रूषामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुश्रूष् (धातु; desiderative/denominative sense)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), बहुवचन

• दिवानिशम्: day and night
• दिवानिशम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय) + निशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय; समासः—द्वन्द्व (दिवा च निशा च) अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः

Speaker

Andhaka (or daitya-side speaker) to Śukra (deduced from continuity)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devoted group—men, women, and children—serve at the feet of a revered Brahmin/saintly protector, offering water, flowers, and respectful attendance through day and night.

Characters & Entities

• Śukra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service to the revered teacher with steadfast loyalty is praised as a source of well-being and stability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the macro-context (Kāśīkhaṇḍa), though the verse focuses on guru-service rather than a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śuśrūṣā (continuous service/attendance) to the guru; no other rite is specified.