Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

अनेन तपसा वत्स त्वयाऽप्यं किमनेनसा । धराधीशतनूजत्वादधिकं तद्वदाधुना

Transliteration

anena tapasā vatsa tvayā'pyaṃ kimanenasā | dharādhīśatanūjatvādadhikaṃ tadvadādhunā

Translation

വത്സാ, ഈ തപസ്സുകൊണ്ട് നീ എന്ത് നേടും? നീ ഭൂമീശന്റെ പുത്രൻ—രാജസൗഭാഗ്യത്തേക്കാൾ അധികമായി ഇപ്പോൾ എന്താണ് ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നത്, പറയുക.

Word by Word

• अनेन: by this
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Instrumental singular: 'by/with this')

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• वत्स: O dear child
• वत्स: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Instrumental singular: 'by you')

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: 'also/even')

• अयम्: this (one/thing)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Masculine, Nom singular: 'this')

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम (Interrogative pronoun: 'what?')

• अनेनसा: by sin/offence
• अनेनसा: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनेनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (Instrumental singular; 'sin/offence')

• धराधीशतनूजत्वात्: because of (your) being the prince/son of the earth’s lord
• धराधीशतनूजत्वात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा + अधीश + तनूज + त्व (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समास + त्व-प्रत्यय (Ablative singular; 'because of being the son of the lord of the earth')

• अधिकम्: more, excessive
• अधिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nom/Acc singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Neuter, Nom/Acc singular: 'that')

• वद: say, speak
• वद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperative, 2nd person singular, Parasmaipada)

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: 'now')

Speaker

Sunīti (contextual, Dhruva narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate elder addresses a prince: ‘You already have royal fortune—what more do you seek?’ The prince appears resolute, holding ascetic symbols despite royal lineage.

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly status is questioned as insufficient; the verse frames the search for a higher, lasting attainment beyond royal inheritance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it belongs to the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s broader sacred-dharma setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is a moral inquiry into the purpose of tapas.