Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

काश्यां वसंति ये मर्त्या दूरस्थैरपि सन्नरैः । योगक्षेमो विधातव्यस्तेषां विश्वेशितुर्मुदे

Transliteration

kāśyāṃ vasaṃti ye martyā dūrasthairapi sannaraiḥ | yogakṣemo vidhātavyasteṣāṃ viśveśiturmude

Translation

Even good people who live far away should provide for the yoga-kṣema—welfare and security—of those mortals who reside in Kāśī, so as to gladden Viśveśvara, the Lord of the universe.

Word by Word

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• वसन्ति: live
• वसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक

• मर्त्याः: mortals
• मर्त्याः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• दूरस्थैः: by those who are far away
• दूरस्थैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दूरस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—दूरे स्थः (those staying far away)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) — ‘even/also’

• सन्नरैः: by good men
• सन्नरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—सन्तः नराः (good men)

• योगक्षेमः: welfare (acquisition and security)
• योगक्षेमः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (yoga and kṣema: acquisition and protection/welfare)

• विधातव्यः: should be provided
• विधातव्यः: Karya (Obligation/कार्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) + तव्य (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (कर्तव्य/तव्यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘to be arranged/provided’

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• विश्वेशितुः: of the Lord of the universe
• विश्वेशितुः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेशितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—विश्वस्य ईशिता (ruler of the universe)

• मुदे: for (his) pleasure
• मुदे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; ‘for joy/for the pleasure’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A distant patron sends provisions to Kāśī—boats unloading grain at a ghat, caretakers distributing food; Viśveśvara’s temple stands as the spiritual beneficiary of the welfare work.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Viśveśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supporting the needs of Kāśī residents is a direct devotional service that pleases Viśveśvara.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) and its lord Viśveśvara, emphasizing the dharma of caring for the kṣetra’s people.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A dāna/sevā-style prescription: arrange yoga-kṣema (material welfare and protection) for Kāśī residents, even from afar.