Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

शारदं नवरात्रं च कार्या यात्रा प्रयत्नतः । देव्या विश्वभुजाया वै सर्वकामसमृद्धये

Transliteration

śāradaṃ navarātraṃ ca kāryā yātrā prayatnataḥ | devyā viśvabhujāyā vai sarvakāmasamṛddhaye

Translation

Durant le Navarātra d’automne, qu’on accomplisse avec ardeur le pèlerinage (yātrā) vers la Déesse Viśvabhujā, afin d’obtenir l’accomplissement total et l’accroissement de tous les vœux.

Word by Word

• शारदम्: autumnal
• शारदम्: Karman (object of implied ‘कर्तव्यम्/आचरितव्यम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘शरदृतुसम्बन्धि’

• नवरात्रम्: Navarātra (nine nights)
• नवरात्रम्: Karman (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नव + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगुः—नव रात्रयः यस्मिन् (nine-night festival)

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

• कार्या: to be done, should be performed
• कार्या: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (predicate of yātrā)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृत्य-विशेषण (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कर्तव्या’

• यात्रा: pilgrimage, procession
• यात्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रयत्नतः: earnestly, with effort
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (manner adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverbial ablative: ‘with effort/earnestly’)

• देव्याः: of the Goddess
• देव्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• विश्वभुजायाः: of Viśvabhujā
• विश्वभुजायाः: Sambandha (Genitive apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वभुजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सर्वकामसमृद्धये: for the fulfillment/prosperity of all desires
• सर्वकामसमृद्धये: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + काम + समृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—सर्वकामसमृद्धि (सर्वेषां कामानां समृद्धिः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśvabhujā Devī (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: General audience of sages/pilgrims implied by instruction

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Autumn Navarātra in Kāśī: decorated ghats and lanes, banners and lamps; pilgrims proceed in a yātrā procession toward Viśvabhujā’s shrine carrying offerings; the Devī is envisioned granting boons as the city glows with festival light.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvabhujā
• Śārada Navarātra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Aligning pilgrimage and worship with sacred seasons like Navarātra multiplies merit and supports the devotee’s aims.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) as the locale of Goddess Viśvabhujā’s worship and pilgrimage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform yātrā (pilgrimage/temple-visit) to Viśvabhujā Devī during the Śārada (autumn) Navarātra.