Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 110

Devanagari script

सा च वाराणसी लभ्या सदाचारवता सदा । मनसापि सदाचारमतो विद्वान्न लंघयेत्

Transliteration

sā ca vārāṇasī labhyā sadācāravatā sadā | manasāpi sadācāramato vidvānna laṃghayet

Translation

Vārāṇasī s’obtient véritablement par celui qui demeure toujours dans la juste conduite. Aussi le sage ne doit-il pas franchir le sadācāra, fût-ce en pensée.

Word by Word

• सा: she/that (city)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• वाराणसी: Vārāṇasī (Kashi)
• वाराणसी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लभ्या: obtainable
• लभ्या: Karya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लभ् (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त साध्य/योग्य (gerundive: ‘to be obtained’)

• सदाचारवता: by one of good conduct
• सदाचारवता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदाचार + वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; वतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त; करण/हेतौ प्रयोगः (‘by/for one possessing good conduct’)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• मनसा: by mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• सदाचारम्: good conduct
• सदाचारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदाचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (therefore/for this reason)

• विद्वान्: a learned man
• विद्वान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद् (धातु) + वस् (कृदन्त ‘विद्वस्’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त/विशेषण-प्रायः (learned person)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• लङ्घयेत्: should transgress
• लङ्घयेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लङ्घ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Skanda (contextual, Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vārāṇasī (Kāśī/Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at a Kāśī ghāṭ pauses in introspection, hands folded, while temptations of misconduct are depicted as faint shadow-figures dissolving; a sage points to the heart, indicating mental discipline; the city’s temples glow quietly behind.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is not merely a destination; it is attained through sustained ethical life and inner purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī/Avimukta-kṣetra).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the discipline is sadācāra—right conduct even at the level of thought.