Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

गृहं रक्षतु नो लक्ष्मीः क्षेत्रं क्षेमकरी सदा । पातु पुत्रान्प्रियकरी पायादायुः सनातनी

Transliteration

gṛhaṃ rakṣatu no lakṣmīḥ kṣetraṃ kṣemakarī sadā | pātu putrānpriyakarī pāyādāyuḥ sanātanī

Translation

May Lakṣmī protect our home; may the ever-auspicious one safeguard our lands. May the beloved benefactress protect our children; and may the Eternal Goddess preserve our lifespan.

Word by Word

• गृहम्: house
• गृहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• रक्षतु: may (she) protect
• रक्षतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/benedictive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• नः: of us / our
• नः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (genitive plural)

• लक्ष्मीः: Lakṣmī
• लक्ष्मीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• क्षेत्रम्: field, land
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• क्षेमकरी: bringing welfare
• क्षेमकरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षेम + करिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः; करिन्-प्रत्ययान्त (one who makes)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• पातु: may (she) protect
• पातु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/benedictive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पुत्रान्: sons, children
• पुत्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन

• प्रियकरी: doing what is dear; beneficent
• प्रियकरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय + करिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः; करिन्-प्रत्ययान्त

• पायात्: may (she) protect
• पायात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्/आशीर्लिङ् (optative/benedictive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• आयुः: life, lifespan
• आयुः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (छान्दस/प्रयोगे)

• सनातनी: eternal
• सनातनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Skanda (contextual, Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (protective prayer within Kāśī stotra context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A domestic shrine scene: Lakṣmī’s gentle form radiates over a house, fields, children, and a long-life lamp (āyus-dīpa). The devotee offers flowers and water, mentally extending protection from home to land to lineage.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmī
• Devī (Sanātanī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prosperity and security are framed as fruits of Devī’s grace, sought for righteous living—home, livelihood, family, and longevity aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is the scriptural setting in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, where such stutis are taught as spiritually potent.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prayerful anuvāda (protective supplication) to be recited for gṛha-kṣema—welfare of home, land, children, and life.