Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

हिमवंतं नगश्रेष्ठममात्य न्यस्तराज्यधूः । जगाम यशसां राशिरुद्दिधीर्षुः पितामहान्

Transliteration

himavaṃtaṃ nagaśreṣṭhamamātya nyastarājyadhūḥ | jagāma yaśasāṃ rāśiruddidhīrṣuḥ pitāmahān

Translation

Entrusting the burden of the kingdom to his minister, that treasury of fame went to Himavān, foremost of mountains, seeking to uplift and deliver his forefathers.

Word by Word

• हिमवन्तम्: Himālaya (Himavat)
• हिमवन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• नगश्रेष्ठम्: best of mountains
• नगश्रेष्ठम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अमात्य: O minister
• अमात्य: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• न्यस्तराज्यधूः: having laid down the burden of kingship
• न्यस्तराज्यधूः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यस्त + राज्य + धुर्/धू (प्रातिपदिक; √न्यस्, √धृ)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘न्यस्त’ + समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यशसाम्: of glories, of fame
• यशसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• राशिः: a heap, a mass
• राशिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उद्दिधीर्षुः: wishing to uplift/raise
• उद्दिधीर्षुः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-धृ (धातु)
• Form: सन्/इषु-प्रत्ययान्त (desiderative/intentive adjective), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पितामहान्: the forefathers (grandfathers/ancestors)
• पितामहान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing speech in Adhyāya 27 context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Himavān (Himalaya)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viṣṇu

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhagīratha, having entrusted the kingdom to a minister, departs with minimal retinue toward the snow-clad Himavān—an image of royal responsibility transitioning into ascetic pilgrimage.

Characters & Entities

• Himavān (Himalaya)
• Bhagīratha (implied)
• Ancestors

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma may require stepping away from power and undertaking pilgrimage and austerity for the sake of ancestors and the common good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Himavān (the Himalaya) as a sacred setting for tapas; indirectly supports the Gaṅgā narrative tied to Kāśī’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it describes renunciation of royal duties and undertaking a sacred journey for tapas.