Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

तेन व्रतेन संतुष्टः करुणेशः कदाचन । न तं क्षेत्राद्बहिः कुर्यात्तस्मात्कार्यं व्रतं त्विदम्

Transliteration

tena vratena saṃtuṣṭaḥ karuṇeśaḥ kadācana | na taṃ kṣetrādbahiḥ kuryāttasmātkāryaṃ vrataṃ tvidam

Translation

Pleased by that vow, Karuṇeśa, at some time, will surely not cast that person out from the sacred kṣetra. Therefore, this vow is indeed to be undertaken.

Word by Word

• tena: by that
• tena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3), एकवचन — Instrumental, Singular

• vratena: by the vow
• vratena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• saṃtuṣṭaḥ: satisfied
• saṃtuṣṭaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ + √tuṣ (धा.) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; भूतकालिक क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle): ‘satisfied’

• karuṇeśaḥ: Karuṇeśa
• karuṇeśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karuṇeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• kadācana: ever
• kadācana: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time adjunct/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadācana (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: ‘at any time/ever’)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• kṣetrāt: from the sacred area
• kṣetrāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन — Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• bahiḥ: outside
• bahiḥ: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Place adjunct/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb: ‘outside’)

• kuryāt: would/should make (send)
• kuryāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धा.)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (आज्ञार्थ/संभावना), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Optative, 3rd person, Singular

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (Reason marker/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति निपातवत्; हेत्वर्थे (therefore) — Ablative used adverbially

• kāryam: to be performed
• kāryam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (कृदन्त; √kṛ (धा.) + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; ‘to be done’ (qualifying ‘vratam’)

• vratam: the vow
• vratam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थक/विरोधार्थक (particle)

• idam: this
• idam: Visheshya/Anuvāda (Deictic reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Karuṇeśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva’s compassionate presence is implied above the liṅga as the devotee completes the vrata; a symbolic boundary of Kāśī glows, indicating the devotee is retained within the kṣetra’s grace.

Characters & Entities

• Karuṇeśa (Śiva)
• Kāśī kṣetra
• Ekabhakta-vrata (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vows performed with sincerity are portrayed as forging a protective bond with Śiva that preserves one’s connection to the liberating kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī as the kṣetra, specifically through the grace of Karuṇeśa/Karuṇeśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Undertake the stated vow (Ekabhakta on Monday, per the prior verse) to please Karuṇeśa.