Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणोक्तं परिक्षुण्णं महाजनैः । धर्मसोपानमारुह्य यदिहायांति हेलया

Transliteration

śrutismṛtipurāṇoktaṃ parikṣuṇṇaṃ mahājanaiḥ | dharmasopānamāruhya yadihāyāṃti helayā

Translation

ശ്രുതി-സ്മൃതി-പുരാണങ്ങളിൽ ഉപദേശിക്കപ്പെട്ടും മഹാജനങ്ങൾ നടന്ന് ഉറപ്പാക്കിയുമുള്ള ധർമ്മസോപാനം കയറിയിട്ടും, ചിലർ ഇവിടെ വെറും അശ്രദ്ധകൊണ്ട് വീഴുന്നു.

Word by Word

• श्रुति-स्मृति-पुराण-उक्तम्: stated in the Vedas, Smṛtis, and Purāṇas
• श्रुति-स्मृति-पुराण-उक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; समासः: तत्पुरुष ‘श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणेषु उक्तम्’ (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• परिक्षुण्णम्: well-established, thoroughly confirmed
• परिक्षुण्णम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-क्षुद्/क्षुण्ण (धातु/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Past passive participle ‘well-ground/fully established’; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महाजनैः: by great people
• महाजनैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• धर्म-सोपानम्: the staircase/steps of dharma
• धर्म-सोपानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + सोपान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; समासः: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी) ‘धर्मस्य सोपानम्’

• आरुह्य: having climbed
• आरुह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त) — gerund ‘having ascended’; from √रुह् with उपसर्ग आ

• यत्: which (thing/person)
• यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter pronoun, Nominative (1st), Singular

• इह: here
• इह: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Locative adjunct/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) — indeclinable adverb ‘here/in this world’

• आयान्ति: they come/arrive
• आयान्ति: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Present indicative, 3rd person, Plural; परस्मैपदी

• हेलया: through carelessness, casually
• हेलया: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: General audience / dvija addressee

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stone stairway labeled ‘Dharma’ rising toward a radiant Śiva shrine; a pilgrim climbs steadily while another slips on a loose step labeled ‘helā/pramāda’; sages stand as guides holding scriptures.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural knowledge and good beginnings are not enough; negligence can undo dharma unless one remains attentive and disciplined.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a direct tirtha-praise verse; it frames the conduct expected of pilgrims and seekers within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it stresses sustained adherence to dharma taught by Śruti, Smṛti, and Purāṇas.