Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

तां दशां चरमां प्राप्य भक्तियोगं ततश्चर । असकृच्छिक्षितः पित्रेत्यवमन्य गुरोर्गिरम्

Transliteration

tāṃ daśāṃ caramāṃ prāpya bhaktiyogaṃ tataścara | asakṛcchikṣitaḥ pitretyavamanya gurorgiram

Translation

അന്തിമ ദശയെ പ്രാപിച്ച ശേഷം ഭക്തിയോഗം ആചരിക്കൂ. എങ്കിലും പിതാവ് ആവർത്തിച്ച് ഉപദേശിച്ചിട്ടും അവൻ ഗുരുവിന്റെ വാക്കിനെ അവഗണിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• tām: that
• tām: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• daśām: state/condition
• daśām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• caramām: final; last
• caramām: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: carama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• prāpya: having reached
• prāpya: Purva-kala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √prāp (प्राप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘प्राप्य’ = having reached

• bhakti-yogam: the yoga of devotion
• bhakti-yogam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; समास: भक्तेः योगः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• tataḥ: then; thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; ततः = then/thereafter (adverb)

• cara: practice; follow
• cara: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √car (चर्)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• asakṛt: repeatedly
• asakṛt: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: asakṛt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• śikṣitaḥ: instructed/taught
• śikṣitaḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √śikṣ (शिक्ष्) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• pitrā: by the father
• pitrā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• iti: thus
• iti: Vakyartha-marker (Quotation/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• avamanya: having disrespected
• avamanya: Purva-kala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√man (अव+मन्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘अवमान्य’ = having disrespected

• guroḥ: of the teacher
• guroḥ: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• giram: speech; instruction
• giram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gir (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (narrating to Agastya, context of Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A father instructs his son about the final stage—turning to bhakti-yoga—while the son, proud or distracted, turns away, signaling disregard for the guru-like voice of the elder.

Characters & Entities

• Harikeśa
• Harikeśa’s father
• Guru (elder/teacher figure, implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti is the highest aim, but contempt for the guru’s counsel is a moral fault; spiritual maturity requires humility and obedience to rightful guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa framework glorifies Kāśī as a liberating realm; this verse emphasizes the inner discipline of bhakti rather than a named site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is devotional discipline (bhakti-yoga), not a specific external rite.