Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

यद्यात्मा रक्षितः पुंसा दारैरपि धनैरपि । तदा सर्वं हरिश्चंद्रभूपेनेवेह लभ्यते

Transliteration

yadyātmā rakṣitaḥ puṃsā dārairapi dhanairapi | tadā sarvaṃ hariścaṃdrabhūpeneveha labhyate

Translation

If a person preserves his own life—even at the cost of spouse and wealth—then everything can be obtained again here, as it was by King Hariścandra.

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conditional particle: if)

• आत्मा: the self
• आत्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; कर्तृ/विषय

• रक्षितः: protected
• रक्षितः: Kriya (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः (is protected)

• पुंसा: by a man
• पुंसा: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम्स् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-हेतु

• दारैः: by wives/with family
• दारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (बहुवचनान्त), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• धनैः: by wealth
• धनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-viseshana (Temporal/कालवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (temporal adverb: then)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• हरिश्चन्द्रभूपेनेव: like/through King Harishchandra
• हरिश्चन्द्रभूपेनेव: Karana (Instrument/Example)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिश्चन्द्रभूप (प्रातिपदिक; हरिश्चन्द्र + भूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (हरिश्चन्द्रः भूपः); इव-उपमान-युक्त

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: here/in this world)

• लभ्यते: is obtained
• लभ्यते: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (is obtained)

Speaker

Pārāvatī (female pigeon) to her mate (pārāvata) within Skanda’s narration to Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Hariścandra-associated ghāṭa/śmaśāna tradition)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: As the pigeon speaks, a faint visionary overlay shows King Hariścandra—emaciated yet resolute—near a cremation ground in Kāśī, symbolizing regained fortune through endurance.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Hariścandra
• Pārāvatī (pigeon)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ātma-rakṣā (preserving life) is foundational; losses of wealth and comfort can be restored, but destruction of life ends all worldly dharma and opportunity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the textual frame; the verse additionally invokes Hariścandra as a paradigmatic king to strengthen the dharmic point.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.