Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

अतो मच्चरणाभ्याशे त्वं निवत्स्यसि सर्वथा । अतो नैःश्रेयसीं लक्ष्मीं तत्रैव प्राप्स्यसि ध्रुवम्

Transliteration

ato maccaraṇābhyāśe tvaṃ nivatsyasi sarvathā | ato naiḥśreyasīṃ lakṣmīṃ tatraiva prāpsyasi dhruvam

Translation

Ainsi tu demeureras toujours près de mes pieds; et là même, assurément, tu obtiendras la bienheureuse prospérité du souverain Bien, la délivrance ultime.

Word by Word

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — हेत्वर्थक/तस्मात्-अर्थे (therefore/from this)

• mat-caraṇa-abhyāśe: near my feet
• mat-caraṇa-abhyāśe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + abhyāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative singular; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: mama caraṇayoḥ abhyāśe)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन — Pronoun: Nominative singular (you)

• nivatsyasi: will reside
• nivatsyasi: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni√vas (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future/लृट्), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन — you will dwell

• sarvathā: always
• sarvathā: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — क्रियाविशेषण (always/in every way)

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — हेत्वर्थक (therefore)

• naiḥśreyasīm: supremely auspicious, leading to liberation
• naiḥśreyasīm: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naiḥśreyasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular (leading to final beatitude)

• lakṣmīm: fortune, prosperity
• lakṣmīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — देशवाचक (there)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — अवधारण (emphasis: indeed/just)

• prāpsyasi: will attain
• prāpsyasi: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√āp (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन — you will obtain

• dhruvam: certainly
• dhruvam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (accusative used adverbially): नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — certainly

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-Avimukta

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (typical)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee seated at the threshold of a Śiva shrine in Kāśī, mentally ‘dwelling at the Lord’s feet’; a subtle radiance signifies niḥśreyasa-lakṣmī descending as grace.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Jaigīṣavya
• Caraṇa (feet)
• Naiḥśreyasa
• Lakṣmī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Closeness to the Divine—living in continual proximity to Śiva through devotion—culminates in the assured attainment of the highest good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kāśīkhaṇḍa, the ideal of dwelling near Śiva resonates with Kāśī as Śiva’s own sphere, where liberation-oriented fortune is promised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not a discrete ritual; it prescribes a devotional lifestyle—abiding near Śiva’s feet (constant presence, remembrance, and service).