Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

आकारगोपनं कृत्वा तेभ्यो दत्त्वा धनं बहु । सुमुहूर्तमनुप्राप्य सुते राज्यं विधाय च

Transliteration

ākāragopanaṃ kṛtvā tebhyo dattvā dhanaṃ bahu | sumuhūrtamanuprāpya sute rājyaṃ vidhāya ca

Translation

ನಿನ್ನ ಉದ್ದೇಶವನ್ನು ಗುಪ್ತವಾಗಿಟ್ಟು ಅವರಿಗೆ ಬಹಳ ಧನವನ್ನು ನೀಡಿ, ಶುಭ ಮುಹೂರ್ತವನ್ನು ಪಡೆದು, ಮಗನಿಗೆ ರಾಜ್ಯವನ್ನು ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸುವೆ।

Word by Word

• आकारगोपनम्: concealment of (one’s) identity/appearance
• आकारगोपनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकार (प्रातिपदिक) + गोपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—आकारस्य गोपनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund), पूर्वकाले

• तेभ्यः: to them
• तेभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान/4th), बहुवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund), पूर्वकाले

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

• बहु: much
• बहु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (धनम्)

• सुमुहूर्तम्: an auspicious moment
• सुमुहूर्तम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—सुन्दरः मुहूर्तः; काल-विशेषणत्वेन

• अनुप्राप्य: having reached/obtained
• अनुप्राप्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + प्राप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund), पूर्वकाले

• सुते: for (your) son
• सुते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/7th) एकवचन; अथवा चतुर्थी एकवचन (सम्प्रदान) — अत्र अर्थतः "पुत्रे" (in/for the son)

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• विधाय: having arranged/established
• विधाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund), पूर्वकाले

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhūpāla (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king privately arranges succession: gifts of gold and cattle are distributed; ministers are appeased; an astrologer indicates an auspicious muhūrta; the prince is enthroned.

Characters & Entities

• King
• Son (heir)
• Kāśī (implied journey context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A ruler should fulfill social duties—charity and orderly succession—before turning toward pilgrimage and liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is implied as the destination motivating these preparatory acts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (giving wealth) and choosing a su-muhūrta (auspicious time) are explicitly mentioned.