Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

त्वदेकतनया तात त्वदाधारैकजीविता । त्वमंगयष्टिरसि मे त्वन्मुखासक्तलोचना

Transliteration

tvadekatanayā tāta tvadādhāraikajīvitā | tvamaṃgayaṣṭirasi me tvanmukhāsaktalocanā

Translation

“Dear child, I have only you as my son; I live by leaning on you alone. You are the staff that supports my body, and my eyes are fixed upon your face.”

Word by Word

• त्वत्-एक-तनया: (I am) your only daughter
• त्वत्-एक-तनया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + तनया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (त्वत्-सम्बन्धः)

• तात: O dear father
• तात: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• त्वत्-आधार-एक-जीविता: living only by your support
• त्वत्-आधार-एक-जीविता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + आधार (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + जीविता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; समासः (त्वदाधारः एव एकः आधारः यस्याः)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• अङ्ग-यष्टिः: staff/support of (my) body
• अङ्ग-यष्टिः: Predicate (Pratijna/प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + यष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अङ्गस्य यष्टिः)

• असि: are
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: my/of me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन (enclitic)

• त्वत्-मुख-आसक्त-लोचना: whose eyes are fixed on your face
• त्वत्-मुख-आसक्त-लोचना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + आसक्त (कृदन्त; आसञ्ज्/सञ्ज्-धातु) + लोचना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (त्वन्मुखे आसक्ते लोचने यस्याः)

Speaker

Unspecified in excerpt (likely a mother addressing her child within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: son/child

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An aged parent speaks to a young son on a Kāśī lane/ghāṭa stair, leaning gently as on a staff; the parent’s eyes remain fixed on the child’s face, conveying reliance and affection.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It highlights dependence, care, and duty within family life—an ethical foundation (dharma) that supports higher spiritual pursuit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa context (Kāśī), but it does not name a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is mentioned; it is a devotional-emotional statement within the narrative.