Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

कस्तां मां प्रापयेच्छंभोः कथं यामि तथा वद । स तपस्वीति तद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य श्रद्धयान्वितम्

Transliteration

kastāṃ māṃ prāpayecchaṃbhoḥ kathaṃ yāmi tathā vada | sa tapasvīti tadvākyamākarṇya śraddhayānvitam

Translation

«Qui me conduira jusqu’à ce lieu de Śambhu ? Comment dois-je m’y rendre ? Dis-le-moi en vérité.» Entendant ces paroles, l’ascète, animé de foi, répondit.

Word by Word

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• ताम्: her/that (place)
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रापयेत्: would lead (me) to / make (me) reach
• प्रापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense in usage: 'cause to reach'

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: manner)

• यामि: do I go / shall I go
• यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/in that way')

• वद: tell (me)
• वद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तपस्वी: the ascetic
• तपस्वी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; इति-पूर्वकं नाम/विशेषण-रूपेण

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (to वाक्यम्)

• वाक्यम्: statement/words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + कर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): having heard; उपसर्ग: आ

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अन्वितम्: endowed (with)
• अन्वितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वित (कृदन्त; √इ धातु with anu-; lexicalized)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त); विशेषण (to तद्वाक्यम्)

Speaker

Tvāṣṭra (first half); Narrator voice continues (second half)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandavana (Śambhu’s place in Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: the tapasvin (about to reply)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tvāṣṭra, earnest and humble, asks ‘who will lead me?’; the tapasvin listens with compassionate steadiness, poised to instruct—suggesting the start of a guided Kāśī pilgrimage.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Ānandavana/Kāśī (implied)
• Tapasvī (ascetic guide)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching a sacred kṣetra is aided by humility and guidance; sincere inquiry combined with faith invites the right help.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śambhu’s Ānandavana—Kāśī—implicitly the destination sought.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it emphasizes seeking instruction (upadeśa) and guidance for pilgrimage.