Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 180

Devanagari script

विचार्य कारिता नित्यं स्वधिष्ण्योदय चिंतनम् । गृहस्थ उवाच । एषु धर्मेषु भो विद्वंस्त्वयि कोस्तीह तद्वद

Transliteration

vicārya kāritā nityaṃ svadhiṣṇyodaya ciṃtanam | gṛhastha uvāca | eṣu dharmeṣu bho vidvaṃstvayi kostīha tadvada

Translation

ವಿಚಾರಿಸಿ ಅವನು ನಿತ್ಯ ತನ್ನ ಸ್ವಧರ್ಮ-ಧಿಷ್ಣ್ಯದ ಉದಯವನ್ನು ಚಿಂತಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದನು. ಆಗ ಗೃಹಸ್ಥನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—‘ಓ ವಿದ್ಯಾವಂತ, ಈ ಧರ್ಮಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ನಿನ್ನೊಳಗೆ ಏನು ಇದೆ? ಅದನ್ನು ಹೇಳು.’

Word by Word

• विचार्य: having reflected
• विचार्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + √चर् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त/अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'having considered'

• कारिता: was caused/directed (to be done)
• कारिता: Kriya (Predicate-participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: णिजन्त-भूतकृदन्त (causative past participle: 'caused to be done'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (अत्र कर्तृवाच्ये/भावे)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'always')

• स्व-धिष्ण्य-उदय-चिन्तनम्: contemplation on the manifestation of one’s own abode
• स्व-धिष्ण्य-उदय-चिन्तनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धिष्ण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + उदय (प्रातिपदिक) + चिन्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'contemplation of the rise/manifestation of one’s own sacred seat/abode'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• गृहस्थः: the householder
• गृहस्थः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech-act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एषु: in these
• एषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), बहुवचन

• धर्मेषु: in duties/practices
• धर्मेषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• भो: O!
• भो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: संबोधनार्थक-अव्यय (vocative particle)

• विद्वन्: O learned one
• विद्वन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th), एकवचन

• त्वयि: in you/with respect to you
• त्वयि: Adhikarana (Reference/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• कः: who?
• कः: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Existence/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; 'वद' इत्यस्य कर्म

• वद: tell/say
• वद: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Gṛhastha (householder)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Frame sages; in-scene listener is the learned person addressed by the gṛhastha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A thoughtful householder, after contemplation, addresses a learned man: ‘Among these dharmas, what is truly in you here?’—a scene of ethical inquiry, seated discussion in a Kāśī home or courtyard.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Vidvān/Muni (unnamed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is clarified through reflective inquiry—householders are encouraged to question, contemplate, and learn from the wise.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, portrayed as a setting where dharma-discourse naturally unfolds between residents and ascetics.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No fixed ritual; it stresses nitya-cintana (regular contemplation) and seeking instruction from the learned.