Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

धर्मार्थी धर्ममाप्नोति धनार्थी धनमाप्नुयात् । कामी कामानवाप्नोति मोक्षार्थी मोक्षमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

dharmārthī dharmamāpnoti dhanārthī dhanamāpnuyāt | kāmī kāmānavāpnoti mokṣārthī mokṣamāpnuyāt

Translation

ダルマを求める者はダルマを得、財を求める者は財を得る。欲する者は望む享楽を得、解脱を求める者はモークシャを得る。

Word by Word

• धर्मार्थी: one who seeks dharma
• धर्मार्थी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + अर्थिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• धर्मम्: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• धनार्थी: one who seeks wealth
• धनार्थी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन-अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक; धन + अर्थिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आप्नुयात्: would attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• कामी: one who desires
• कामी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कामान्: desires, pleasures
• कामान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अवाप्नोति: obtains, gains
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• मोक्षार्थी: one who seeks liberation
• मोक्षार्थी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष-अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक; मोक्ष + अर्थिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आप्नुयात्: would attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution within Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic composition of the four puruṣārthas around Kāśī: dharma as a lamp/śāstra, artha as grain/coins offered in dāna, kāma as harmonious couple blessing, mokṣa as Śiva’s serene presence above the Gaṅgā and cremation-ghat horizon.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In the sanctity of Kāśī, rightly performed dharma is said to culminate in the fulfillment of all four human aims, culminating in mokṣa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), the famed mokṣa-kṣetra of the Skanda Purāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse is a general phala-statement; the implied practice is the vrata being discussed in the adhyāya.