Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

गोविंदचरणार्थार्चां तत्प्रियंकर्मवै विना । शंखचक्रांकितौ तस्य नान्यकर्मकरौकरौ

Transliteration

goviṃdacaraṇārthārcāṃ tatpriyaṃkarmavai vinā | śaṃkhacakrāṃkitau tasya nānyakarmakaraukarau

Translation

ഗോവിന്ദന്റെ പാദാർച്ചനയും അവനു പ്രിയമായ കർമങ്ങളും ഒഴികെ, ശംഖചക്രചിഹ്നിതമായ അവന്റെ കൈകൾ മറ്റൊരു പ്രവൃത്തിയും ചെയ്യുകയില്ല।

Word by Word

• गोविन्दचरणार्थार्चाम्: worship for the sake of Govinda’s feet
• गोविन्दचरणार्थार्चाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: govinda + caraṇa + artha + arcā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (गोविन्द-चरण-अर्थे arcā)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम—‘that’ (तस्य)

• प्रियम्: dear, pleasing
• प्रियम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कर्म: act, deed
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• विना: without, except
• विना: Sambandha (Exclusion/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वर्जने (without/except)

• शङ्खचक्राङ्कितौ: marked with conch and discus
• शङ्खचक्राङ्कितौ: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaṅkha + cakra + aṅkita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष (शङ्ख-चक्रेण अङ्कितौ)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• अन्य: other
• अन्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘other’

• कर्मकरौ: doers of action; workers
• कर्मकरौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karmakara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष (कर्म करोति इति)

• करौ: two hands
• करौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee’s hands, bearing conch-and-discus marks, offer flowers and water at Govinda’s feet; nearby, acts of service—lighting lamps, feeding pilgrims—are shown as extensions of worship in Kāśī’s temple-ghāṭ environment.

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Śaṅkha
• Cakra
• Kāśī (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Consecrate action: the devotee’s work becomes worship when directed toward the Lord’s feet and what pleases Him.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-centered nāma and bhakti praise, though it does not name a particular tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arcā (ritual worship) of Govinda’s feet and performing tat-priya-karman (deeds pleasing to the Lord) are explicitly highlighted.