Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 140

Devanagari script

इति राज्ञोदिता राज्ञी प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे । इति कर्तव्यतां तस्य व्रतस्य सरहस्यकाम्

Transliteration

iti rājñoditā rājñī pravaktumupacakrame | iti kartavyatāṃ tasya vratasya sarahasyakām

Translation

Thus urged by the king, the queen began to speak—desiring to set forth the duties of that vow, together with its inner secret.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-सूचक अव्यय; quotative ‘thus’

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; Instrumental singular ‘by the king’

• उदिता: addressed/urged
• उदिता: Karta (Predicate complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वद् (धातु) उपसर्ग-उद् → उदित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘addressed/urged’ (said to)

• राज्ञी: the queen
• राज्ञी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्ञी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• प्रवक्तुम्: to speak
• प्रवक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) प्र + तुमुन्
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); ‘to speak/tell’

• उपचक्रमे: began
• उपचक्रमे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रम् (धातु) उपसर्ग-उप + लिट्, आत्मनेपद
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘began/undertook’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-सूचक अव्यय; ‘thus’

• कर्तव्यताम्: the duty (to be done)
• कर्तव्यताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तव्य (कृदन्त, तव्यत्) + ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; abstract noun ‘the duty/what is to be done’

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; Genitive singular ‘of that’

• व्रतस्य: of the vow
• व्रतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular ‘of the vow’

• स-रहस्य-काम्: together with the secret
• स-रहस्य-काम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’) + रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक) + का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying ‘kartavyatām’; ‘together with its secret’

Speaker

Narrator (contextually Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In a palace or hermitage-like chamber near Kāśī, the king respectfully prompts the queen; she prepares to expound the vow’s duties and its hidden essence.

Characters & Entities

• King
• Queen

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vratas are not mere external acts; they carry a rahasya—an inner intention and discipline that must be understood.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-centered sacred narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It introduces a vrata and its kartavya (required observances) but does not list them in this verse.