Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

वरं काशीपुरी वासो मासोपवसनादिभिः । विचित्रच्छत्रसंछायं राज्यं नान्यत्र नीरिपु

Transliteration

varaṃ kāśīpurī vāso māsopavasanādibhiḥ | vicitracchatrasaṃchāyaṃ rājyaṃ nānyatra nīripu

Translation

Mieux vaut demeurer dans la cité de Kāśī, fût-ce avec des jeûnes mensuels et des austérités, que régner ailleurs, même à l’ombre de splendides ombrelles, ô roi sans ennemis.

Word by Word

• वरम्: better
• वरम्: Sambandha (Discourse marker/वाक्योपक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/क्रियाविशेषण)

• काशीपुरी: the city of Kāśī
• काशीपुरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (काशी एव पुरी)

• वासः: dwelling; residence
• वासः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मास-उपवसन-आदिभिः: by month-long fasts and the like
• मास-उपवसन-आदिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक) + उपवसन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (मासोपवसनादि)

• विचित्र-छत्र-संछायम्: having the shade of a splendid parasol
• विचित्र-छत्र-संछायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + छत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संछाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (छत्रस्य संछाया) + पूर्वपद-विशेषण ‘विचित्र’

• राज्यम्: kingdom; rule
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय = adverb (‘elsewhere’)

• नीरिपु: O enemyless one
• नीरिपु: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि (उपसर्ग) + रिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; ‘नि-रिपु’ = ‘without enemies’ (काव्य-प्रयोग)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśīpurī (within Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (addressed as 'nīripu')

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contrast tableau: on one side a king under ornate parasols; on the other a humble ascetic/pilgrim in Kāśī near ghāṭas, fasting, with serene radiance; the king looks toward Kāśī with longing.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual advantage gained in Kāśī outweighs worldly sovereignty and luxury; dharma in a holy place surpasses external power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśīpurī (Vārāṇasī), upheld as superior to any other realm for attaining śreyas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upavāsa (fasting), specifically monthly observances, is referenced as an austerity accompanying life in Kāśī.