Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

तस्माद्व्रतानि सततं चरितव्यानि मानवैः । धर्मसान्निध्य कर्तृणि चतुर्वर्गफलेप्सुभिः

Transliteration

tasmādvratāni satataṃ caritavyāni mānavaiḥ | dharmasānnidhya kartṛṇi caturvargaphalepsubhiḥ

Translation

C’est pourquoi les hommes doivent pratiquer les vœux sans cesse—surtout ceux qui désirent les fruits des quatre buts de la vie—car les vœux instaurent la proximité même et la présence du Dharma.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Avyaya (Causal/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘तस्मात्’ = therefore/from that reason

• vratāni: vows
• vratāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• satatam: constantly
• satatam: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘सततम्’ = always/continually

• caritavyāni: are to be practiced
• caritavyāni: Predicate (Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: car (धातु) → caritavya (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; भाव्य/कर्तव्यतार्थक—‘चरितुं योग्य/आवश्यक’ (to be practiced)

• mānavaiḥ: by humans
• mānavaiḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (कर्ता-करण), बहुवचन

• dharmasānnidhya: the presence of dharma
• dharmasānnidhya: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + sānnidhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—धर्मस्य सान्निध्यम्

• kartṛṇi: in the doer (agent)
• kartṛṇi: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘कर्तृ’ = doer/agent; सप्तमी—अधिकरणे (in the doer)

• caturvargaphalepsubhiḥ: by those desiring the fruits of the four aims of life
• caturvargaphalepsubhiḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + varga (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + ipsu (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—चतुर्वर्गस्य फलम् (धर्मार्थकाममोक्षफलम्) तद् इप्सवः (इष् धातोः ‘इप्सु’ = desiring)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of pilgrims moving from ghat to temple at dawn, each carrying minimal belongings, embodying continuous vows; Dharma is suggested as an invisible companion walking beside them.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Caturvarga
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Regular vrata is presented as the practical method for keeping Dharma ‘close,’ enabling success in all four life-goals.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; it supports the chapter’s broader Kāśī vrata-and-tīrtha framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Continuous practice of vratas, especially for those pursuing caturvarga (dharma–artha–kāma–mokṣa).