Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

अश्वत्थं चैत्यवृक्षं च गुरुं जलभृतं घटम् । सिद्धान्नं दधिसिद्धार्थं गच्छन्कुर्यात्प्रदक्षिणम्

Transliteration

aśvatthaṃ caityavṛkṣaṃ ca guruṃ jalabhṛtaṃ ghaṭam | siddhānnaṃ dadhisiddhārthaṃ gacchankuryātpradakṣiṇam

Translation

En marchant, qu’on accomplisse avec respect la pradakṣiṇā autour de l’aśvattha (figuier sacré), de l’arbre-sanctuaire consacré, de son guru, d’un vase rempli d’eau, des mets cuits, du caillé (yaourt) et de la moutarde, les honorant comme des appuis fastes du dharma.

Word by Word

• अश्वत्थम्: the aśvattha (sacred fig) tree
• अश्वत्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• चैत्यवृक्षम्: a shrine-tree / sacred tree
• चैत्यवृक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्य + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चैत्यस्य वृक्षः)

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

• गुरुम्: the teacher
• गुरुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जलभृतम्: a water-pot (water-bearer vessel)
• जलभृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + भृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जलस्य भृत् = जलं बिभर्ति इति)

• घटम्: a pot
• घटम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सिद्धान्नम्: cooked food
• सिद्धान्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सिद्धम् अन्नम्)

• दधिसिद्धार्थम्: sesame/white mustard prepared with curd
• दधिसिद्धार्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि + सिद्धार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दध्ना सिद्धः अर्थः/सिद्धार्थः)

• गच्छन्: going (while going)
• गच्छन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी; ‘going/while going’ (कर्तरि)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• प्रदक्षिणम्: circumambulation (clockwise)
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (accusative of manner)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (general ācāra within the kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and other ṛṣis at Naimiṣāraṇya (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kāśī pilgrim walking along a narrow lane near a shrine-tree and aśvattha, hands folded, performing a brief pradakṣiṇā; nearby a guru sits, a water-pot (ghaṭa) is placed by a doorway, and offerings of cooked rice, curd, and mustard are arranged on leaf-plates.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• aśvattha
• guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Treat supports of life and worship—guru, sacred trees, water, and food—as worthy of reverence; humility and auspicious conduct protect dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-context, where right conduct is presented as especially meritorious in Vārāṇasī (Kāśī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pradakṣiṇā (circumambulation) of sacred trees, the guru, and auspicious/pure items such as a water-pot and prepared foods.