Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

अन्यच्चापि शुभं कर्म यदत्र श्रद्धयायुतम् । विनात्मघातमीशान त्यक्त्वा प्रायोपवेशनम्

Transliteration

anyaccāpi śubhaṃ karma yadatra śraddhayāyutam | vinātmaghātamīśāna tyaktvā prāyopaveśanam

Translation

ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಶ್ರದ್ಧೆಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮಾಡುವ ಯಾವುದೇ ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಶುಭಕರ್ಮವೂ—ಆತ್ಮಹಾನಿಯಿಲ್ಲದೆ, ಹೇ ಈಶಾನ, ಪ್ರಾಯೋಪವೇಶನ (ಮರಣೋಪವಾಸ) ತ್ಯಜಿಸಿ—ಫಲಪ್ರದವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ।

Word by Word

• अन्यत्: another; further
• अन्यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ (also)

• शुभम्: auspicious; good
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कर्म: deed; act
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आयुतम्: joined with; accompanied by
• आयुतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-युज् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → आयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Exclusion/वर्जन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपात (preposition: without), तृतीया/द्वितीया-योग्य

• आत्म-घातम्: self-killing; suicide
• आत्म-घातम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + घात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः घातः)

• ईशान: O Lord (Ishana)
• ईशान: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• प्राय-उपवेशनम्: fasting unto death (prāyopaveśa)
• प्राय-उपवेशनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राय (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + उपवेशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (प्रायः उपवेशनम्)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Addressed to Īśāna within the verse; overall audience is the listener of Kāśī-māhātmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee in Kāśī turns away from an extreme fasting-to-death posture and instead offers water, lamps, and bilva to a Śiva-liṅga with steady devotion, surrounded by compassionate attendants.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Śiva (Īśāna)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Faith-filled dharma in Kāśī is praised, while self-harm is discouraged; spiritual progress should be pursued through righteous living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, as the ‘here’ (atra) where śraddhā-based merit is especially potent.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse advises against prāyopaveśana (fasting unto death) and commends performing other auspicious acts with śraddhā.