Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

अथ कृत्वा स कैदारीं यात्रां वाराणसीमगात् । अग्रहीन्नियमं चापि यथार्थं चाकरोत्पुनः

Transliteration

atha kṛtvā sa kaidārīṃ yātrāṃ vārāṇasīmagāt | agrahīnniyamaṃ cāpi yathārthaṃ cākarotpunaḥ

Translation

Then, having completed the Kedāra pilgrimage, he went to Vārāṇasī; and once again he undertook his observances, performing them exactly as prescribed.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमसूचक/अनन्तरार्थक (indeclinable; sequential particle 'then')

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); कृ-धातोः; पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having done)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• कैदारीम्: (to) Kedāra-related
• कैदारीम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कैदारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; 'यात्राम्' विशेषण

• यात्राम्: pilgrimage
• यात्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• वाराणसीम्: to Vārāṇasī
• वाराणसीम्: Karma (Goal/गन्तव्यकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; गत्यर्थक्रियायां देशकर्म (destination)

• अगात्: went
• अगात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• अग्रहीत्: accepted/took up
• अग्रहीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• नियमम्: a vow/observance
• नियमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (particle: also/even)

• यथार्थम्: properly
• यथार्थम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण; अव्ययप्रयोग (adverbial accusative: 'properly/as it should be')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• अकरोत्: performed/did
• अकरोत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक (adverb: again)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) with Kedāra-yātrā reference

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim returning from snow-clad Kedāra enters the luminous lanes of Kāśī, taking up vows again—water-pot, staff, and prayer beads; the city’s ghāṭs and temples frame his renewed discipline.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī
• Kedāra
• Vasiṣṭha (implied continuing narrative)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage should mature into disciplined living—niyama and faithful practice after returning home.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī is presented as the pilgrim’s sacred base, connected in merit to Kedāra’s yātrā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Undertaking niyamas (religious disciplines/observances) and performing them precisely (yathārtha).