Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

यावद्धर्मे स्थिराबुद्धिर्यावद्धर्मेस्थिरं मनः । तावद्विघ्नोदयः क्वास्ति विपद्यपि रवे नृषु

Transliteration

yāvaddharme sthirābuddhiryāvaddharmesthiraṃ manaḥ | tāvadvighnodayaḥ kvāsti vipadyapi rave nṛṣu

Translation

So long as the intellect is steady in dharma, and so long as the mind is firm in dharma, where can obstacles arise for people—even in adversity, O Sun?

Word by Word

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि (as long as)

• धर्मे: in dharma
• धर्मे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• स्थिरा: steady
• स्थिरा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• बुद्धिः: intellect
• बुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि (as long as)

• धर्मे: in dharma
• धर्मे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• स्थिरम्: steady
• स्थिरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तावत्: so long
• तावत्: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तावदर्थ (so long/then)

• विघ्न-उदयः: arising of obstacles
• विघ्न-उदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक) + उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विघ्नस्य उदयः)

• क्व: where
• क्व: Kriya-visheshana (Interrogative adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative ‘where’)

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• विपदि: in calamity
• विपदि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ (even)

• रवे: O Ravi (Sun)!
• रवे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• नृषु: among men
• नृषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A steadfast pilgrim/king stands firm at a Kāśī ghat during storm or turmoil; obstacles (vighnas) appear as dissipating shadows; Sūrya shines through clouds as witness to dharma-stability.

Characters & Entities

• Ravi (Sūrya)
• Dharma
• vighna (obstacles)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast dharma in intellect and mind neutralizes obstacles, even when external conditions are difficult.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kāśī-kṣetra context frames the teaching, emphasizing Kāśī as a place where dharma is upheld.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on inner steadiness (buddhi and manaḥ) anchored in dharma.