Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

यथाश्वमेधो यज्ञानां नगानां हिमवान्यथा । व्रतानां च यथा सत्यं दानानामभयं यथा

Transliteration

yathāśvamedho yajñānāṃ nagānāṃ himavānyathā | vratānāṃ ca yathā satyaṃ dānānāmabhayaṃ yathā

Translation

യജ്ഞങ്ങളിൽ അശ്വമേധം ശ്രേഷ്ഠം, പർവതങ്ങളിൽ ഹിമവാൻ ശ്രേഷ്ഠം; വ്രതങ്ങളിൽ സത്യം, ദാനങ്ങളിൽ അഭയം ശ്രേഷ്ഠം—അതുപോലെ ഈ തീർത്ഥവും പരമശ്രേഷ്ഠം।

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा/प्रकार-अव्ययम् (as, just as)

• अश्वमेधः: Aśvamedha sacrifice
• अश्वमेधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व-मेध (प्रातिपदिक; अश्व + मेध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• यज्ञानाम्: of sacrifices
• यज्ञानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• नगानाम्: of mountains
• नगानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• हिमवान्: Himavān (Himalaya)
• हिमवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा/प्रकार-अव्ययम्

• व्रतानाम्: of vows
• व्रतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा/प्रकार-अव्ययम्

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• दानानाम्: of gifts/charity
• दानानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• अभयम्: fearlessness, safety
• अभयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा/प्रकार-अव्ययम्

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-Gaṅgā tīrtha (implied ‘praśasta tīrtha’)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau: Aśvamedha horse and altar, towering Himālaya, a figure embodying Satya, and a donor embodying Abhaya—arranged as emblems pointing toward the supreme tīrtha.

Characters & Entities

• Aśvamedha
• Himavān (Himalaya)
• Satya (Truth)
• Abhaya (Fearlessness)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma has recognized pinnacles—certain acts and virtues stand as exemplars, used here to assert the supreme status of the praised sacred context.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

By context of Adhyāya 27, the Gaṅgā-tīrtha in Kāśī is being elevated through a chain of ‘foremost among’ comparisons.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhaya-dāna (granting protection/fearlessness) is highlighted as a foremost form of giving; satya is upheld as a chief vow.