Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

परोद्धरणशीला ये ये परेच्छाप्रपूरकाः । परोपकृतिशीला ये विश्वेशां शास्त एव हि

Transliteration

paroddharaṇaśīlā ye ye parecchāprapūrakāḥ | paropakṛtiśīlā ye viśveśāṃ śāsta eva hi

Translation

ಪರರನ್ನು ಉದ್ಧರಿಸುವ ಸ್ವಭಾವದವರು, ಪರರ ಧರ್ಮಸಮ್ಮತ ಇಚ್ಛೆಗಳನ್ನು ಪೂರೈಸುವವರು, ಪರೋಪಕಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ತೊಡಗಿರುವವರು—ಅಂತಹವರ ರಕ್ಷಕನೂ ಮಾರ್ಗದರ್ಶകനೂ ವಿಶ್ವೇಶನೇ ಆಗಿದ್ದಾನೆ.

Word by Word

• पर-उद्धरण-शीलाः: habitually uplifting others
• पर-उद्धरण-शीलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्धरण (प्रातिपदिक) + शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (परोद्धरणे शीलाः = ‘having the habit of uplifting others’)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (पुनरुक्ति emphatic repetition)

• पर-इच्छा-प्रपूरकाः: fulfilling others’ wishes
• पर-इच्छा-प्रपूरकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रपूरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (परेषाम् इच्छाः प्रपूरयन्ति इति)

• पर-उपकृति-शीलाः: habitually doing good to others
• पर-उपकृति-शीलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकृति (प्रातिपदिक) + शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (परोपकृतौ शीलाः)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विश्वेशाम्: Viśveśa (as object)
• विश्वेशाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (छान्दस/प्रयोग-भेदः: -आम् ending used for -म्)

• शास्ता: (is) the ruler; chastiser
• शास्ता: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शास् (धातु)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्यय (Agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘ruler/discipliner’

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण/emphasis)

• हि: for; indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Justification)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (हेतुनिपात/causal particle)

Speaker

Caṇḍāla (continuing speech, contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśveśvara-kṣetra (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequence-like tableau: devotees helping others—lifting the fallen, giving water/food, guiding pilgrims—while an unseen Viśveśa presence stands guard, suggesting divine endorsement of altruism.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśa (Śiva of Kāśī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Paropakāra—uplifting and serving others—is presented as a hallmark of dharma, drawing Viśveśa’s protective grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, through the repeated emphasis on Viśveśa’s living guardianship over virtuous residents.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual is prescribed; the verse prescribes ethical conduct—helping others—as the lived dharma of Kāśī.