Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

अनेन तपसा वत्स त्वयाऽप्यं किमनेनसा । धराधीशतनूजत्वादधिकं तद्वदाधुना

Transliteration

anena tapasā vatsa tvayā'pyaṃ kimanenasā | dharādhīśatanūjatvādadhikaṃ tadvadādhunā

Translation

By this austerity, dear child, what indeed will you gain? Because you are the son of the lord of the earth, tell me now what more (than royal fortune) you seek.

Word by Word

• अनेन: by this
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Instrumental singular: 'by/with this')

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• वत्स: O dear child
• वत्स: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Instrumental singular: 'by you')

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: 'also/even')

• अयम्: this (one/thing)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Masculine, Nom singular: 'this')

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम (Interrogative pronoun: 'what?')

• अनेनसा: by sin/offence
• अनेनसा: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनेनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (Instrumental singular; 'sin/offence')

• धराधीशतनूजत्वात्: because of (your) being the prince/son of the earth’s lord
• धराधीशतनूजत्वात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा + अधीश + तनूज + त्व (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समास + त्व-प्रत्यय (Ablative singular; 'because of being the son of the lord of the earth')

• अधिकम्: more, excessive
• अधिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nom/Acc singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Neuter, Nom/Acc singular: 'that')

• वद: say, speak
• वद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperative, 2nd person singular, Parasmaipada)

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: 'now')

Speaker

Sunīti (contextual, Dhruva narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate elder addresses a prince: ‘You already have royal fortune—what more do you seek?’ The prince appears resolute, holding ascetic symbols despite royal lineage.

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly status is questioned as insufficient; the verse frames the search for a higher, lasting attainment beyond royal inheritance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it belongs to the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s broader sacred-dharma setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is a moral inquiry into the purpose of tapas.