Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

द्विजपादार्चनात्किंचित्सुकृतं वेद्मि नापरम् । अनेनापरिकथ्येन कथितेनेह किं मम

Transliteration

dvijapādārcanātkiṃcitsukṛtaṃ vedmi nāparam | anenāparikathyena kathiteneha kiṃ mama

Translation

Je ne connais qu’un mérite, si minime soit-il : vénérer les pieds d’un brāhmaṇa ; je n’en connais point d’autre. À quoi me sert-il de m’étendre ici sur ce qui n’est guère digne d’être raconté ?

Word by Word

• द्विजपादार्चनात्: from worship of the Brahmin's feet
• द्विजपादार्चनात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्विजस्य पादानाम् अर्चनम्) + तसिल्-अर्थे पञ्चमी

• किंचित्: some/a little
• किंचित्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंचित् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अल्पपरिमाणवाचक

• सुकृतम्: merit/good deed
• सुकृतम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग) + कृत (कृदन्त/क्त) → सुकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वेद्मि: I know
• वेद्मि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• अपरम्: anything else
• अपरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'अन्यत्' अर्थे

• अनेन: by this/with this
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपरिकथ्येन: by what is not to be described/ineffable
• अपरिकथ्येन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + परि-कथ्य (कृदन्त/यत्)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक कृदन्त (यत्/तव्यत्-सम्भव), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अनेन)

• कथितेन: by what has been said/statement
• कथितेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथ् (धातु) → कथित (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) प्रयुक्तः संज्ञावत्, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• इह: here/in this matter
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक (here/in this matter)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• मम: for me/of me
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Rājā (King)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vipra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king lowers his pride, acknowledging only the merit of worshipping a brāhmaṇa’s feet; the sage’s feet become the focal symbol of dharma and humility.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service to the truly virtuous (dvija-pāda-arcana) is remembered as genuine puṇya, surpassing pride in worldly achievements.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse supports Kāśī’s dharma atmosphere by praising reverence to holy persons.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Reverential worship/service of a brāhmaṇa’s feet (dvija-pāda-arcana) is implied as a meritorious act.