Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

पुरश्चरणकामश्चेद्भीतोसि यदि पापतः । मन्यसे यदि नः सत्यं वाक्यशास्त्रप्रमाणतः

Transliteration

puraścaraṇakāmaścedbhītosi yadi pāpataḥ | manyase yadi naḥ satyaṃ vākyaśāstrapramāṇataḥ

Translation

If you desire to perform puraścaraṇa, if you are fearful because of sin, and if you accept our words as true on the authority of scripture and testimony—

Word by Word

• puraścaraṇa-kāmaḥ: one who desires (to do) puraścaraṇa
• puraścaraṇa-kāmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puraścaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुरश्चरणस्य कामः)

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त-निपात (conditional particle)

• bhītaḥ: afraid
• bhītaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīta (कृदन्त; √bhī भी + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'tvam' (अध्याहृत) इति विशेषण

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त-निपात (conditional)

• pāpataḥ: from sin / because of sin
• pāpataḥ: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे अपादान (from/ due to)

• manyase: you think
• manyase: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (मन्)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त-निपात

• naḥ: of us / our
• naḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; अस्मद्-शब्दः (enclitic)

• satyam: true
• satyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विधेय/कर्मरूपे

• vākya-śāstra-pramāṇataḥ: on the authority of scripture and statements
• vākya-śāstra-pramāṇataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + pramāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + -tas (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिलन्त (ablatival adverb) 'प्रमाणतः' = 'as authority/from the standpoint of proof'; पूर्वपद-द्वन्द्व/समाहार-भावेन 'वाक्यशास्त्र' + तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta/Ānandakānana implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A seeker fearful of sin and interested in puraścaraṇa (addressed directly)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A remorseful pilgrim with folded hands consults a learned guide; in the background, a small shrine and japa-mālā indicate preparation for puraścaraṇa; the atmosphere is penitential yet hopeful.

Characters & Entities

• Puraścaraṇa
• Śāstra-pramāṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual discipline (like puraścaraṇa) should be grounded in śāstra-pramāṇa and motivated by sincere repentance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction belongs to Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s Kāśī-centered framework of purification and practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Puraścaraṇa is explicitly referenced as a desired/commended discipline (details are continued in subsequent verses).