Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

एतन्नवानां नवकं ज्ञात्वा प्रियमवाप्नुयात् । अन्यच्च नवकं वच्मि सर्वेषां स्वर्गमार्गदम्

Transliteration

etannavānāṃ navakaṃ jñātvā priyamavāpnuyāt | anyacca navakaṃ vacmi sarveṣāṃ svargamārgadam

Translation

Knowing this ninefold set concerning the “nines”, one attains what is dear and beneficial. Now I shall speak another ninefold set, which grants all people the path to heaven.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘इदम्’ अर्थे, ‘नवकम्’ विशेषणम्

• नवानाम्: of the nine
• नवानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; ‘नव’ = ‘नव (nine)’—सम्बन्धः ‘नवकस्य’

• नवकम्: group of nine (set)
• नवकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नवक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘समूह/समुच्चय’ अर्थे

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having known’

• प्रियम्: what is dear/desired good
• प्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अवाप्नुयात्: may obtain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्ग (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अन्यत्: another
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘नवकम्’ विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• नवकम्: set of nine
• नवकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नवक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वच्मि: I say
• वच्मि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• स्वर्गमार्गदम्: giving the path to heaven
• स्वर्गमार्गदम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘स्वर्गस्य मार्गं ददाति’/‘स्वर्गमार्गं ददाति’ (मार्गद = ‘मार्गं ददाति’ इति बहुव्रीहिसदृशार्थः, परन्तु रूपतः तत्पुरुषसमासप्रयोगः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience of householders/pilgrims

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher announces a structured teaching: one ninefold set completed, another ninefold set to be revealed; disciples attentive with palm-leaf notes; Kāśī ghats in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Svarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is taught in structured sets: mastering ethical restraints prepares one for higher virtues leading to svarga.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī remains the sacred narrative environment; the verse introduces the next teaching rather than praising a site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual act is prescribed; it transitions from one ninefold teaching to another.