Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

नित्यंतनं च निष्पाद्य विधिं विधिविदांवरः । स्नात्वा शुद्धांबरः सायं गौरीपूजां समाचरेत्

Transliteration

nityaṃtanaṃ ca niṣpādya vidhiṃ vidhividāṃvaraḥ | snātvā śuddhāṃbaraḥ sāyaṃ gaurīpūjāṃ samācaret

Translation

Having completed the daily observances according to proper procedure, the foremost among those who know the rites should bathe, don clean garments, and in the evening perform the worship of Gaurī.

Word by Word

• नित्यंतनम्: daily (duty/rite)
• नित्यंतनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्यन्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘daily (rite)’ as qualifier/object with निष्पाद्य

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

• निष्पाद्य: having completed
• निष्पाद्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस् + पद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having accomplished/performed’

• विधिम्: rite, procedure
• विधिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; object of निष्पाद्य

• विधिविदाम्: of the knowers of rites
• विधिविदाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक: विद्वस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधिं विदन्ति ये (knowers of rites)

• वरः: the best
• वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; apposition to implied subject

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having bathed’

• शुद्धांबरः: wearing clean clothes
• शुद्धांबरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शुद्धम् अम्बरं यस्य सः (one whose garment is clean)

• सायम्: in the evening
• सायम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सायम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• गौरीपूजाम्: worship of Gaurī
• गौरीपूजाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गौर्याः पूजा (worship of Gaurī)

• समाचरेत्: should perform
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदी; ‘should perform/practise’

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At sunset, after bathing, a devotee in clean white garments approaches a small Gaurī shrine in Kāśī with lamps and flowers, preparing for pūjā.

Characters & Entities

• Gaurī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is strengthened by order and cleanliness—daily duties, purification, and then heartfelt worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred geography of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative; the verse itself is a general worship instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Complete daily rites, bathe, wear clean clothes, and perform evening Gaurī worship.