Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

त्याज्यं कर्म पराधीनं कायमात्मवशं सदा । दुःखी यतः पराधीनः सदैवात्मवशः सुखी

Transliteration

tyājyaṃ karma parādhīnaṃ kāyamātmavaśaṃ sadā | duḥkhī yataḥ parādhīnaḥ sadaivātmavaśaḥ sukhī

Translation

他に従属させる仕事は捨て、身と生を常に自らの統御のもとに置け。依存する者は苦しみ、自らを治める者は常に安楽である。

Word by Word

• त्याज्यम्: to be abandoned
• त्याज्यम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate of ‘karma’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्याज्य (प्रातिपदिक; √त्यज् धातु से ‘-य’ प्रत्यय, gerundive)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कृदन्त: य-प्रत्यय (gerundive: ‘to be abandoned’)

• कर्म: action, deed
• कर्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पराधीनम्: dependent on others
• पराधीनम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Qualifier of ‘karma’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समास: परस्य अधीनम् (dependent on another)

• कायम्: the body
• कायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आत्मवशम्: under one’s own control
• आत्मवशम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Qualifier of ‘kāyam’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समास: आत्मनः वशः (under one’s own control)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• दुःखी: unhappy
• दुःखी: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक अव्यय (causal indeclinable: ‘because/for’)

• पराधीनः: dependent on others
• पराधीनः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर + अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• आत्मवशः: self-controlled
• आत्मवशः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सुखी: happy
• सुखी: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-householder at a Kāśī ghat rejects a tempting but compromising offer from a powerful patron; he chooses a simple path, holding a japa-mālā, standing upright—symbol of self-mastery—while the Ganga flows steadily behind.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Happiness supports dharma when one lives with self-mastery; dependency that compromises integrity breeds sorrow.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is specified; the instruction appears within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s dharmic discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A practical prescription is given: avoid livelihoods/actions that force unethical dependence; cultivate ātma-vaśa (self-control).