Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

ससत्यानृतवृत्तिश्च प्रायः सत्यप्रियो मुने । वर्णेतरोप्यभूल्लोके सुवर्णकृतवर्णनः

Transliteration

sasatyānṛtavṛttiśca prāyaḥ satyapriyo mune | varṇetaropyabhūlloke suvarṇakṛtavarṇanaḥ

Translation

He moved between truth and untruth, yet for the most part, O sage, he loved truth. Though born outside the recognized social orders, in the world he became famed as one who “made gold”—a maker of splendid renown.

Word by Word

• स: he
• स: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सत्य-अनृत-वृत्तिः: conduct of truth and untruth (mixed conduct)
• सत्य-अनृत-वृत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अनृत (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (सत्यं च अनृतं च) + वृत्तिः (आचरणम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रायः: generally, mostly
• प्रायः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रायः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आवृत्तिवाचक/प्रायशः (adverb)

• सत्यप्रियः: fond of truth
• सत्यप्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः (सत्यं प्रियं यस्य)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• वर्णेतरः: of another caste/other than (proper) varṇa
• वर्णेतरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः (वर्णात् इतरः = of different caste/color)

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

• अभूत्: became/was
• अभूत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणम्

• सुवर्णकृतवर्णनः: whose description/praise was made in gold (i.e., highly praised)
• सुवर्णकृतवर्णनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृ-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः (सुवर्णेन कृतं वर्णनं यस्य / सुवर्णकृतं वर्णनम्)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (general frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni addressed as ‘muने’

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A figure of ambiguous social status stands before townsfolk, one hand raised in oath-like gesture (truth), the other holding a small golden object or alchemical symbol (metaphor of ‘making gold’/making fame); faces around show admiration and suspicion.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even if one has flaws, a genuine love of truth elevates a person’s standing; character can outshine birth-status.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) forms the sacred setting of the Kāśī Khaṇḍa, though this verse itself focuses on ethical portraiture rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on satya (truth) as a dharmic discipline.