Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

सर्वकर्मसु सर्वत्र त्वामेव शशिशेखर । पुरश्चरं तं पश्यामि यथा तन्मे वरस्तथा

Transliteration

sarvakarmasu sarvatra tvāmeva śaśiśekhara | puraścaraṃ taṃ paśyāmi yathā tanme varastathā

Translation

ഹേ ശശിശേഖരാ! എല്ലാ കര്‍മങ്ങളിലും എല്ലായിടത്തും ഞാൻ നിന്നെയേ മാത്രം ദർശിക്കട്ടെ—നീ എപ്പോഴും എന്റെ മുമ്പിൽ മുമ്പിൽ നടന്നുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കട്ടെ; അതേ എന്റെ വരമാകട്ടെ।

Word by Word

• सर्वकर्मसु: in all actions
• सर्वकर्मसु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (सर्वाणि कर्माणि)

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Kriya-viseshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (Adverb of place)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: alone, indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (Emphatic particle)

• शशिशेखर: O moon-crested one
• शशिशेखर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशि (प्रातिपदिक) + शेखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शशिनः शेखरः)

• पुरश्चरम्: one who goes before; attendant/guide
• पुरश्चरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरश्चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोग

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पश्यामि: I see
• पश्यामि: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यथा: as, in the manner that
• यथा: Sambandha (Clause linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (Comparative/manner)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मे: my, for me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक रूप

• वरः: boon
• वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: so, thus
• तथा: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (Adverb: thus)

Speaker

Viṣṇu

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śiva (addressed as Śaśiśekhara)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu asks that Śiva, the moon-crested Lord, always be seen ‘going before’ him—like a guiding presence leading every undertaking; the imagery suggests a path with Śiva as the vanguard.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śaśiśekhara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sanctify all karma through uninterrupted God-consciousness—seeing the Lord as the inner guide in every place and act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī tīrtha milieu frames the boon, reinforcing Kāśī as a field of ever-present Śiva-darśana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it implies a vrata of continual smaraṇa (remembrance) and worship integrated with daily duties.