Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

एतत्स्तोत्रद्वयं दद्यात्काश्यां नैःश्रेयसीं श्रियम् । तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन मानवैर्मोक्षकांक्षिभिः

Transliteration

etatstotradvayaṃ dadyātkāśyāṃ naiḥśreyasīṃ śriyam | tasmātsarvaprayatnena mānavairmokṣakāṃkṣibhiḥ

Translation

This pair of hymns, when bestowed in Kāśī, grants the supreme prosperity that leads to liberation. Therefore, those who yearn for mokṣa should uphold it with every effort.

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; adjectival

• stotra-dvayam: the pair of hymns
• stotra-dvayam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: stotra (प्रातिपदिक) + dvaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘two hymns’

• dadyāt: should bestow
• dadyāt: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘should give/bestow’

• kāśyām: in Kāśī
• kāśyām: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• naiḥśreyasīm: leading to the highest good (final beatitude)
• naiḥśreyasīm: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naiḥśreyasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; adjective qualifying śriyam

• śriyam: prosperity, glory
• śriyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्; ablative used as discourse connector—‘therefore/from that reason’

• sarva-prayatnena: with all effort
• sarva-prayatnena: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + prayatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावः; adverbial instrumental—‘with all effort/entirely’

• mānavaiḥ: by humans
• mānavaiḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• mokṣa-kāṃkṣibhiḥ: by those desiring liberation
• mokṣa-kāṃkṣibhiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mokṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + kāṃkṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘मोक्षं काङ्क्षन्ति ये’ (desiring liberation); qualifies mānavaiḥ

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-devotee stands at Kāśī’s ghāṭa at dusk, holding the stotra text; above, Viśveśvara’s liṅga radiates a calm, steady light that outshines symbols of worldly wealth; the devotee’s posture conveys resolve (‘sarva-prayatna’).

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True ‘śrī’ is that which culminates in liberation; devotion should be oriented to naiḥśreyasa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is directly praised as the locus where this practice yields supreme benefit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sustain the chanting/observance of the stotra-dvaya with full effort, especially for mokṣa-seekers.