Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

आशया किंचिदाश्वस्य तत्पत्नीं परिपृष्टवान् । सत्यं ब्रूहि न भेतव्यं दास्याम्यन्यदपि ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

āśayā kiṃcidāśvasya tatpatnīṃ paripṛṣṭavān | satyaṃ brūhi na bhetavyaṃ dāsyāmyanyadapi dhruvam

Translation

With some hope, consoling her a little, he questioned that man’s wife: “Speak the truth—do not fear; I will surely give you something else as well.”

Word by Word

• आशया: with hope
• आशया: Karaṇa (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• किंचित्: something
• किंचित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (indefinite 'something')

• आश्वस्य: having consoled / having reassured
• आश्वस्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्वस् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund)

• तत्-पत्नीम्: his wife
• तत्-पत्नीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य पत्नीम्)

• परिपृष्टवान्: asked / inquired
• परिपृष्टवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (perfect participle active), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• सत्यम्: the truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (Content)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as adverbial object)

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• ब्रूहि: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• भेतव्यम्: to be feared / (you) should fear
• भेतव्यम्: Kriyā (Predicative obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligation), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निषेधेन सह: 'न भेतव्यम्' = 'one should not fear'

• दास्यामि: I will give
• दास्यामि: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अन्यत्: something else
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• ध्रुवम्: certainly / surely
• ध्रुवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (certainly)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A merchant gently consoles a frightened woman in a humble hut, asking her to speak truth without fear, promising further help.

Characters & Entities

• Vaṇik (merchant)
• Patnī (wife of the porter)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through satya (truth) spoken without fear, supported by compassion and reassurance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the moral tone supports the Kāśī Māhātmya framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it emphasizes truthful speech (satya) as a dharmic duty.