Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

न्यासाधीकुलवृत्तिं च निक्षेपं स्त्रीधनं सुतम् । यो ददाति स मूढात्मा प्रायश्चित्तैर्विशुध्यति

Transliteration

nyāsādhīkulavṛttiṃ ca nikṣepaṃ strīdhanaṃ sutam | yo dadāti sa mūḍhātmā prāyaścittairviśudhyati

Translation

ന്യാസമായി ഏല്പിച്ചതു, കുലവൃത്തി (കുടുംബജീവിക), നിക്ഷേപം, സ്ത്രീധനം അല്ലെങ്കിൽ പുത്രനെ ദാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ മൂഢാത്മാവാണ്; പ്രായശ്ചിത്തങ്ങളാൽ മാത്രമേ ശുദ്ധിയാകൂ.

Word by Word

• न्यासाधी: deposit and pledge (entrusted/pledged property)
• न्यासाधी: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यास (प्रातिपदिक) + आधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास: ‘न्यासः च आधिः च’ (trust/deposit and pledge/debt)

• कुलवृत्तिम्: family livelihood/means of support
• कुलवृत्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘कुलस्य वृत्तिः’

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• निक्षेपम्: a deposit/entrusted property
• निक्षेपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि-क्षिप् (धातु) → निक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘निक्षेप’ = ‘न्यास/अमानत’

• स्त्रीधनम्: a woman’s property (strīdhana)
• स्त्रीधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘स्त्रियाः धनम्’

• सुतम्: son
• सुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• ददाति: gives
• ददाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मूढात्मा: a deluded person
• मूढात्मा: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘मूढः आत्मा यस्य/मूढ आत्मा’

• प्रायश्चित्तैः: by expiations/penances
• प्रायश्चित्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण/साधनभाव

• विशुध्यति: becomes purified
• विशुध्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Householder/pilgrim audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder tempted to donate entrusted goods is warned by a sage; symbolic items—sealed deposit pouch, household granary, and a woman’s jewelry—are shown as protected; the theme culminates in the notion of expiation for transgression.

Characters & Entities

• Strīdhana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma protects trust and dependents; violating fiduciary duty and family obligations is sinful and demands expiation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching frame, but this verse is a dharma-rule, not a tīrtha-glorification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prāyaścitta (expiation) is prescribed for those who wrongfully give away entrusted or protected property/persons.