Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

अव्रतः कार्तिको येषां गतो मूढधियामिह । तेषां पुण्यस्य लेशोपि न भवेत्सूकरात्मनाम्

Transliteration

avrataḥ kārtiko yeṣāṃ gato mūḍhadhiyāmiha | teṣāṃ puṇyasya leśopi na bhavetsūkarātmanām

Translation

Pour les esprits obtus qui laissent passer Kārtika sans aucun vœu, il ne naît pas même une parcelle de mérite ; on les dit alors à l’âme de porc.

Word by Word

• अव्रतः: without (observing) a vow
• अव्रतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थ: “without vow”

• कार्तिकः: the month Kārtika
• कार्तिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मास-नाम

• येषाम्: of whom
• येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative)

• गतः: has passed
• गतः: Predicate (Vidheyā/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; “gone/passed”

• मूढ: deluded
• मूढ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समासाङ्ग), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (stem used as compound member)

• धियाम्: of minds/intellects
• धियाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• मूढधियाम्: of the deluded-minded
• मूढधियाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ + धि (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: “those whose intellect is deluded”

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन; demonstrative

• पुण्यस्य: of merit
• पुण्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• लेशः: a small portion
• लेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• लेशोपि: even a bit
• लेशोपि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेशः + अपि (सन्धि)
• Form: सन्धि-रूप; प्रथमा एकवचन + निपात

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• भवेत्: would be/should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सूकर: boar/pig
• सूकर: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (stem used as compound member)

• आत्मनाम्: of selves/persons
• आत्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• सूकरात्मनाम्: of the swine-natured (base people)
• सूकरात्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूकर + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: “those whose nature is like pigs”

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kārtika observance in Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A split scene: on one side, illuminated ghats with devotees performing Kārtika rites; on the other, a person sleeping in darkness as Kārtika moon passes—shadowy boar imagery symbolizes tamas and missed merit.

Characters & Entities

• Kārtika
• Puṇya
• Vrata
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kārtika is a rare spiritual opportunity; neglecting it entirely is portrayed as a grave loss of merit and discernment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

While Kāśīkhaṇḍa frames the discourse in Kāśī, this verse chiefly glorifies the sacred time—Kārtika month.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Do not let Kārtika pass without undertaking some form of vrata (religious observance).