Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

वरं वाराणसीरंको निःशंकोयो यमादपि । न वयं त्रिदशायेषां गिरितोपीदृशी दशा

Transliteration

varaṃ vārāṇasīraṃko niḥśaṃkoyo yamādapi | na vayaṃ tridaśāyeṣāṃ giritopīdṛśī daśā

Translation

Better to be poor in Vārāṇasī, living without fear—even of Yama—than to suffer such a state elsewhere, even as a lord among the devas upon a mountain.

Word by Word

• वरम्: better
• वरम्: Sambandha (Discourse marker/वाक्योपक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/क्रियाविशेषण)

• वाराणसी-रंकः: a beggar of Vārāṇasī
• वाराणसी-रंकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक) + रंक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वाराणस्यां रंकः/वाराणसी-सम्बद्धः रंकः)

• निःशंकः: fearless; without doubt
• निःशंकः: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + शंक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; निः-पूर्वक तत्पुरुष (शंका-रहितः)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रयोग (relative)

• यमात्: from Yama (death)
• यमात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण) = particle (‘even’)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

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

• त्रिदशाय: for the gods
• त्रिदशाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), बहुवचन; दान/प्रयोजनार्थे (‘for the gods’)

• एषाम्: of these
• एषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

• गिरितः: from a mountain
• गिरितः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अवधारण)

• ईदृशी: such
• ईदृशी: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘दशा’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• दशा: condition; state
• दशा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poor pilgrim in Kāśī stands serene near Maṇikarṇikā/ghāṭa fires; a shadowy Yama figure recedes powerless. In contrast, a glittering deva-lord on a mountain appears distant yet bound by anxiety.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī
• Yama
• Tridaśa (Devas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Material status is secondary; dwelling in Kāśī grants spiritual fearlessness and security superior to exalted heavenly positions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī/Kāśī, praised as a place where even the fear of Yama is dispelled.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes the value of Kāśīvāsa itself as the highest choice.