Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

देवतायतनं विप्रं धेनुं मधुमृदं घृतम् । जातिवृद्धं वयोवृद्धं विद्यावृद्धं तपस्विनम्

Transliteration

devatāyatanaṃ vipraṃ dhenuṃ madhumṛdaṃ ghṛtam | jātivṛddhaṃ vayovṛddhaṃ vidyāvṛddhaṃ tapasvinam

Translation

Le sanctuaire des dieux, le brāhmane, la vache, le miel, l’argile et le ghee ; ainsi que ceux qui sont aînés par la lignée, par l’âge, par le savoir, et les ascètes — tous doivent être honorés et protégés.

Word by Word

• देवतायतनम्: a temple/shrine
• देवतायतनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक) + आयतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• विप्रम्: a brāhmaṇa
• विप्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• धेनुम्: a cow
• धेनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• मधु-मृदम्: honey(-mixed) clay/earth
• मधु-मृदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक) + मृद्/मृदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘मधुयुक्ता मृदा/मृत्तिका’ इति

• घृतम्: ghee
• घृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• जाति-वृद्धम्: elder by birth/lineage
• जाति-वृद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जाति (प्रातिपदिक) + वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘जात्या वृद्धः’ (by lineage/status)

• वयो-वृद्धम्: elder by age
• वयो-वृद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘वयसा वृद्धः’

• विद्या-वृद्धम्: advanced in learning
• विद्या-वृद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘विद्यया वृद्धः’

• तपस्विनम्: an ascetic
• तपस्विनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims/householders seeking dharmic conduct

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in Kāśī offers respectful salutations and service: sweeping a temple threshold, feeding a cow, offering ghee lamps, and bowing to an aged teacher and a tapasvin; honey and clay are shown as ritual materials (naivedya/lepana).

Characters & Entities

• Devālaya (Temple)
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Dhenu (Cow)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence toward sacred places, life-sustaining beings, and the spiritually mature is a foundation of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to Kāśī-khaṇḍa, where honoring temples and holy persons is presented as natural to Kashi’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Maintain respectful conduct toward temples, brāhmaṇas, cows, and revered substances, and honor elders, learned persons, and ascetics.