Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

तीर्थयात्रां चिकीर्षुः प्राग्विधायोपोषणं गृहे । गणेशं च पितॄन्विप्रान्साधूञ्छक्त्या प्रपूज्य च

Transliteration

tīrthayātrāṃ cikīrṣuḥ prāgvidhāyopoṣaṇaṃ gṛhe | gaṇeśaṃ ca pitṝnviprānsādhūñchaktyā prapūjya ca

Translation

One who intends to undertake a pilgrimage should first observe a fast at home, and then, according to his ability, worship Gaṇeśa, the Pitṛs, the brāhmaṇas, and the sādhus.

Word by Word

• तीर्थयात्राम्: pilgrimage to sacred places
• तीर्थयात्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (तीर्थस्य यात्रा)

• चिकीर्षुः: desiring to do (to undertake)
• चिकीर्षुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + इषु (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (इषु-प्रत्ययान्त) ‘कर्तुमिच्छन्’; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (यात्री/जनः)

• प्राक्: beforehand
• प्राक्: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (पूर्वम्)

• विधाय: having performed/arranged
• विधाय: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive) ‘विधाय’ = कृत्वा/सम्पाद्य; पूर्वक्रिया

• उपोषणम्: fasting (upavāsa)
• उपोषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपोषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गृहे: at home
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• गणेशम्: Gaṇeśa
• गणेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गणेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• पितॄन्: the ancestors (manes)
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• विप्रान्: brāhmaṇas
• विप्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• साधून्: saints/good people
• साधून्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शक्त्या: according to one’s ability
• शक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• प्रपूज्य: having duly worshipped
• प्रपूज्य: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive) ‘प्रपूज्य’ = सम्यक् पूजयित्वा; पूर्वक्रिया

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual) / sarva-tīrtha (general rule)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder at dawn completes a simple home-fast vow, then worships Gaṇeśa, offers water to pitṛs, and respectfully serves brāhmaṇas and sādhus before setting out with staff and waterpot.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇeśa
• Pitṛs
• Brāhmaṇas
• Sādhus

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage begins with purification and reverence—fasting and honoring divine and ancestral supports of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Given in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, it frames the proper approach to the tīrthas associated with Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upoṣaṇa (fasting) at home before departure, and pūjā of Gaṇeśa, Pitṛs, brāhmaṇas, and sādhus according to one’s means.