Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

परपीडाकरं कर्म काश्यां नित्यं विवर्जयेत् । तदेव चेत्किमत्र स्यात्काशीवासो दुरात्मनाम्

Transliteration

parapīḍākaraṃ karma kāśyāṃ nityaṃ vivarjayet | tadeva cetkimatra syātkāśīvāso durātmanām

Translation

In Kāśī one should always avoid deeds that harm others. If one commits that very harm here, what benefit could residence in Kāśī bring to the wicked-minded?

Word by Word

• parapīḍākaram: causing harm to others
• parapīḍākaram: Karma-visheshana (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para + pīḍā + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (परस्य पीडां करोति इति)

• karma: deed/action
• karma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• kāśyām: in Kāśī
• kāśyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• vivarjayet: should avoid
• vivarjayet: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√vṛj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle)

• kim: what
• kim: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• atra: here/in this matter
• atra: Adhikarana (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• syāt: would be
• syāt: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• kāśīvāsaḥ: dwelling in Kāśī
• kāśīvāsaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī + vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (काश्यां वासः)

• durātmanām: of evil-minded people
• durātmanām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dur-ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (दुरात्मा)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a Kāśī lane near the ghats, a would-be resident raises a hand to harm another, but the looming presence of Śiva’s city—temple spire, trident banner, and the calm Gaṅgā—casts a moral spotlight; the aggressor’s shadow appears distorted, suggesting inner wickedness.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The fruits of sacred residence depend on dharma; harming others cancels the purpose of living in Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), as a dharma-sensitive mokṣa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A clear behavioral prescription: avoid para-pīḍā (causing harm) while in Kāśī.