Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

अक्लीबभाषिभिश्चापि पुत्रक्षेत्राद्यहीनकैः । परोपकारसंक्षीणसुखायुर्धनसंचयैः

Transliteration

aklībabhāṣibhiścāpi putrakṣetrādyahīnakaiḥ | paropakārasaṃkṣīṇasukhāyurdhanasaṃcayaiḥ

Translation

Il est aussi goûté par ceux dont la parole n’est point lâche, par ceux qui ne sont pas privés de fils, de terres et autres biens, et par ceux dont les réserves de joie, de longévité et de richesse se sont accrues par le service rendu aux autres.

Word by Word

• अक्लीबभाषिभिः: by those who speak without impotence (bold speakers)
• अक्लीबभाषिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्लीब (प्रातिपदिक) + भाषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (अक्लीबाः भाषिणः)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘also’

• पुत्रक्षेत्राद्यहीनकैः: by those lacking sons, fields, etc.
• पुत्रक्षेत्राद्यहीनकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + हीनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (पुत्र-क्षेत्र-आदि-रहिताः) विशेषण

• परोपकारसंक्षीणसुखायुर्धनसंचयैः: by those whose happiness, lifespan, and wealth-accumulation are diminished through helping others
• परोपकारसंक्षीणसुखायुर्धनसंचयैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकार (प्रातिपदिक) + संक्षीण (कृदन्ताधारित) + सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक) + संचय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (परोपकारेण संक्षीणं सुखं आयुः धनसंचयश्च येषाम्) विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: a dvija

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dignified householder speaking fearlessly in an assembly, then distributing gifts and aid to the needy; symbolic measures of increased ‘āyuḥ’ and ‘śrī’ shown as flourishing granaries, long lamp-flames, and full water-pots.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma expressed as courage in speech, household stability, and especially helping others (paropakāra) becomes a cause of increased well-being and auspicious afterlife fruits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the tīrtha-fruit theme within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa, without naming a single shrine; the implied frame is the sanctifying power of Kāśī and tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual is prescribed; ethical dharma—paropakāra—is emphasized as spiritually efficacious.