Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अध्याप्याधर्मतोनार्थात्साध्वाप्तज्ञानवित्तदाः । शक्ताः कृतज्ञाः शुचयोऽद्रोहकाश्चानसूयकाः

Transliteration

adhyāpyādharmatonārthātsādhvāptajñānavittadāḥ | śaktāḥ kṛtajñāḥ śucayo'drohakāścānasūyakāḥ

Translation

അധ്യയനം കഴിഞ്ഞാൽ അവർ അധർമ്മ മാർഗ്ഗത്തിൽ ധനം തേടരുത്; ധർമ്മാനുസൃതമായി സമ്പാദിച്ച് ജ്ഞാനവും സമ്പത്തും ദാനം ചെയ്യണം—ശക്തന്മാർ, കൃതജ്ഞർ, ശുചികൾ, ദ്രോഹരഹിതർ, അസൂയരഹിതർ ആയിരിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• अध्याप्य: having taught
• अध्याप्य: पूर्वकाल (prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधि-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया

• अधर्मतः: from unrighteousness
• अधर्मतः: अपादान (source/avoidance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-तसिल् (ablatival adverb) — ‘अधर्मात्/अधर्मतः’

• न: not
• न: निषेध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अर्थात्: from (seeking) gain
• अर्थात्: अपादान (source/avoidance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-तसिल् (ablatival adverb) — ‘अर्थात्’

• साधु: properly, rightly
• साधु: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: well/properly)

• आप्त: having obtained
• आप्त: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘प्राप्ताः’

• ज्ञान: knowledge
• ज्ञान: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (आप्त इत्यस्य कर्म)

• वित्त: wealth
• वित्त: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (आप्त इत्यस्य कर्म)

• दाः: givers
• दाः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्विप्/ण्वुलादि-प्रत्ययान्त ‘द’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘दातारः’

• शक्ताः: capable
• शक्ताः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शक्-क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कृतज्ञाः: grateful
• कृतज्ञाः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; कृत + ज्ञ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘कृतं जानन्ति’ (grateful)

• शुचयः: pure, clean
• शुचयः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अद्रोहकाः: non-malicious, not treacherous
• अद्रोहकाः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-द्रोहक (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + द्रोहक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; नञ्-समास (negating)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अनसूयकाः: non-envious, not fault-finding
• अनसूयकाः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्-असूयक (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + असूयक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; नञ्-समास

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned householder-scholar in Kāśī refuses a dubious bribe, then teaches students and gives alms to a needy person; his face is calm, free of jealousy; a temple flag flutters nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Adharma
• Artha
• Jñāna-dāna
• Vitta-dāna
• Anasūyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True prosperity is dharmic: one must avoid unrighteous gain and instead cultivate purity, gratitude, generosity, and non-envy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular site is named; it is a general dharma teaching placed within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s sacred way of life.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not a ritual but an ethical prescription: avoid adharma for wealth, and practice giving—especially knowledge and resources—grounded in virtue.