Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

केदारं गंतुकामस्य बुद्धिर्देया नरैरियम् । काश्यां स्पृशंस्त्वं केदारं कृतकृत्यो भविष्यसि

Transliteration

kedāraṃ gaṃtukāmasya buddhirdeyā narairiyam | kāśyāṃ spṛśaṃstvaṃ kedāraṃ kṛtakṛtyo bhaviṣyasi

Translation

To one who longs to go to Kedāra, people should give this counsel: ‘By touching and worshipping Kedāra here in Kāśī, you will become one whose life’s purpose is fulfilled.’

Word by Word

• केदारम्: Kedāra (holy place)
• केदारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केदार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• गन्तुकामस्य: of one desiring to go
• गन्तुकामस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गन्तुकाम (प्रातिपदिक; गम् (धातु) + तुमुन् + काम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘इच्छुकस्य’

• बुद्धिः: advice, counsel
• बुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• देया: should be given
• देया: Vidheyavācaka (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देय (प्रातिपदिक; दा (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त))
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण—‘दातव्या’ (gerundive)

• नरैः: by men, by people
• नरैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/कर्तृ), बहुवचन

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• स्पृशन्: touching
• स्पृशन्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे—‘स्पृशन्’ = touching

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुषार्थे मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• केदारम्: Kedāra
• केदारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केदार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृतकृत्यः: one who has accomplished his purpose
• कृतकृत्यः: Kartṛviśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतकृत्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृत (कृ (धातु) + क्त) + कृत्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘सफलः/कृतार्थः’

• भविष्यसि: you will become
• भविष्यसि: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्काल), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī-khaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāreśvara) within Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims/seekers; the text addresses ‘people’ giving counsel

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim yearning for the snowy Kedāra is gently instructed by elders in Kāśī; the pilgrim touches and worships a Kedāra emblem/linga within the bustling sacred city, with Gaṅgā and ghāṭs nearby—suggesting ‘Kedāra in Kāśī’.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Kedāra
• Kedāreśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī contains the essence of far-off tīrthas; sincere contact with Kedāra in Kāśī can complete one’s pilgrimage-aim.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāreśvara/Kedāra as present within Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) in the Kāśī-khaṇḍa sacred map.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Touching/approaching Kedāra in Kāśī (implying darśana and worship) as a substitute-fulfillment for distant travel.