Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

त एव धन्या मर्त्येस्मिन्सर्वक्रतुषु दीक्षिताः । त्यक्त्वा पुण्यार्जितां लक्ष्मीमैक्षियैर्मणिकर्णिका

Transliteration

ta eva dhanyā martyesminsarvakratuṣu dīkṣitāḥ | tyaktvā puṇyārjitāṃ lakṣmīmaikṣiyairmaṇikarṇikā

Translation

They alone are blessed in this mortal world—consecrated in all yajñas—who, abandoning wealth earned through merit, behold Maṇikarṇikā as their supreme refuge.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis

• धन्याः: blessed, fortunate
• धन्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• मर्त्ये: in the mortal world
• मर्त्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (locative singular)

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• सर्वक्रतुषु: in all sacrifices
• सर्वक्रतुषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: सर्वे क्रतवः = all sacrifices; locative plural

• दीक्षिताः: initiated, consecrated
• दीक्षिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √दिक्ष् (धातु) → दीक्षित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-कृदन्त ‘initiated/consecrated’

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) → त्यक्त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), prior action ‘having abandoned’

• पुण्यार्जिताम्: earned by merit
• पुण्यार्जिताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्जित (प्र + √अर्ज्, क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: पुण्येन अर्जिता = earned by merit

• लक्ष्मीम्: fortune, prosperity
• लक्ष्मीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ऐक्षियैः: by the Aikṣiyas (uncertain)
• ऐक्षियैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐक्षिय (प्रातिपदिक; uncertain reading/derivation)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; पाठ-समस्या: ‘ऐक्षियैः’ अस्पष्ट (possibly a proper/epithet or scribal variant)

• मणिकर्णिका: Maṇikarṇikā
• मणिकर्णिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणिकर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devotee/sage audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacrificer (yajamāna) with ritual marks and attendants, turning away from piles of wealth and sacrificial paraphernalia; he walks toward Maṇikarṇikā with empty hands, eyes fixed on the sacred ghat, embodying renunciation.

Characters & Entities

• Māṇikarṇikā
• Kratu (sacrifices)
• Dīkṣā (consecration)
• Lakṣmī (wealth)
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even sacrificial merit culminates in renunciation—placing liberation above prosperity by turning toward Māṇikarṇikā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Māṇikarṇikā in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dīkṣā connected to kratus (sacrificial consecrations) is referenced; the verse stresses renouncing even meritorious wealth.