Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

तावत्कार्पटिकः कश्चित्तल्लोचनपथं गतः । आहूय बहुमानं तमपृच्छच्चाचलेश्वरः

Transliteration

tāvatkārpaṭikaḥ kaścittallocanapathaṃ gataḥ | āhūya bahumānaṃ tamapṛcchaccācaleśvaraḥ

Translation

En ese instante, cierto mendicante errante entró en el alcance de su mirada. Llamándolo cerca con respeto, el Señor de la Montaña le preguntó.

Word by Word

• तावत्: then; meanwhile
• तावत्: Kala (Temporal/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then/meanwhile)

• कार्पटिकः: a mendicant; rag-wearer
• कार्पटिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्पटिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• कश्चित्: someone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम (indefinite: someone)

• तत्: his; that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (of him/that)

• लोचन-पथम्: the range of (his) sight
• लोचन-पथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोचन (प्रातिपदिक) + पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; लोचनस्य पथः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (range/path of sight)

• गतः: having come; arrived
• गतः: Kriya (Participial predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'gone/arrived'

• आहूय: having called
• आहूय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + हु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव (having called)

• बहुमानम्: honour; respect
• बहुमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहुमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; 'respect/honour'

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (him)

• अपृच्छत्: asked
• अपृच्छत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् लकार (Imperfect/Past); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

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

• अचल-ईश्वरः: the lord of the mountain (Himālaya)
• अचल-ईश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अचल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; अचलस्य ईश्वरः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (lord of the mountain)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī / Avimukta (topic implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A rag-clad wandering mendicant enters the visual field; Himavān, regal and composed, beckons him respectfully, initiating a question that will unfold the sacred account.

Characters & Entities

• Himavān (Acāleśvara)
• Kārpaṭika (mendicant)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence toward holy wanderers and seekers is presented as a dhārmic norm, opening the way for sacred instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage belongs to Kāśī’s glorification, though this verse itself introduces a messenger-like ascetic.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it sets up a respectful inquiry (praśna) as a means of receiving dharma.