Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

अथवा काशिसंप्राप्तौ न चिंत्यं हि शुभाशुभम् । तदैव हि शुभः कालो यदैवाप्येत काशिका

Transliteration

athavā kāśisaṃprāptau na ciṃtyaṃ hi śubhāśubham | tadaiva hi śubhaḥ kālo yadaivāpyeta kāśikā

Translation

Ou bien, une fois parvenu à Kāśī, nul besoin de s’inquiéter des signes favorables ou défavorables; car ce moment même est propice, précisément quand Kāśikā est atteinte.

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• काशिसंप्राप्तौ: upon arrival at Kāśī
• काशिसंप्राप्तौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशि-संप्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समास: काश्यां संप्राप्तिः (arrival at Kāśī)

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

• चिन्त्यम्: to be considered
• चिन्त्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिन्त्य (कृदन्त; √चिन्त् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'to be thought/considered'

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• शुभाशुभम्: good and bad (omens)
• शुभाशुभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ-अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: शुभं च अशुभं च

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• एव: just/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• शुभः: auspicious
• शुभः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कालः: time
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative adverb: when)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-निपात (also/even)

• एत: may (one) go/come
• एत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/आदेश), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् — 'may you go/come'

• काशिका: to Kāśikā (Kāśī)
• काशिका: Gati-karma (Goal/गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; काशी (as a name)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśikā (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim (or divine figure) stepping into Kāśī while shadowy ‘omens’ dissolve into light; the city itself radiates auspiciousness, making all times favorable.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Kāśikā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred space transforms time—arrival in Kāśī itself constitutes auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), praised as intrinsically auspicious regardless of omens.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A practical instruction for pilgrims: do not postpone entry due to omens; the act of reaching Kāśī sanctifies the time.