Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

अंतराया भवंत्येव धर्मस्यापि पदेपदे । तथापि न निजो धर्मो धर्मधीभिर्विमुच्यते

Transliteration

aṃtarāyā bhavaṃtyeva dharmasyāpi padepade | tathāpi na nijo dharmo dharmadhībhirvimucyate

Translation

Obstacles arise at every step—even in the pursuit of dharma; yet those wise in dharma do not abandon their own righteous path.

Word by Word

• अन्तरायाः: obstacles
• अन्तरायाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तराय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; 'obstacles'

• भवन्ति: arise
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; 'they occur/come to be'

• एव: indeed
• एव: Discourse particle (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण अव्यय (indeed)

• धर्मस्य: of dharma
• धर्मस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; 'of dharma'

• अपि: even
• अपि: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (even/also)

• पदे: at every step
• पदे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; 'in (each) step/place' (with repetition)

• पदे: at every step
• पदे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for distributive sense)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (thus)

• अपि: nevertheless
• अपि: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अपवादार्थक अव्यय (nevertheless/even so)

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

• निजः: one’s own
• निजः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'one's own' (qualifying धर्मः)

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• धर्मधीभिः: by the dharma-minded
• धर्मधीभिः: Karana/Agent (Instrument/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-धी (प्रातिपदिक); घटकाः: धर्म + धी
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; 'by those whose understanding is dharma' (धर्मे धीः येषाम्)

• विमुच्यते: is abandoned
• विमुच्यते: Kriya (Passive action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु) (वि+√मुच्)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive): 'is abandoned/released'

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni/interlocutor

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone pilgrim or dharma-seeker walking a path with visible impediments—fallen branches, storms, temptations—yet moving forward with calm determination; Kāśī ghats faintly ahead.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Dharmadhī (the dharma-wise)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is proven by constancy; obstacles are expected, not disqualifying.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the larger Kāśī-kṣetra dharma discourse, without naming a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical injunction to remain firm in svadharma.