Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

चरेदात्मसहायश्च निरपेक्षो निराश्रयः । नित्यमध्यात्मनिरतो नीचकेश नखो वशी

Transliteration

caredātmasahāyaśca nirapekṣo nirāśrayaḥ | nityamadhyātmanirato nīcakeśa nakho vaśī

Translation

അവൻ ആത്മാവിനെ മാത്രമേ സഹചാരിയായി കരുതി ജീവിക്കണം—ആശ്രയാപേക്ഷയില്ലാതെ, മറ്റുള്ളവരിൽ അഭയം തേടാതെ; നിത്യം അധ്യാത്മസാധനയിൽ നിരതനായി; മുടിയും നഖവും ചെറുതാക്കി; സ്വയംനിയന്ത്രിതനായി ഇരിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• चरेत्: should live/walk
• चरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (optative, 3rd person singular)

• आत्मसहायः: self-reliant
• आत्मसहायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् + सहाय (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘whose helper is oneself’) (masc nom sg; adjective)

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

• निरपेक्षः: without dependence
• निरपेक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + अपेक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपसर्ग-निष्पन्न विशेषण (masc nom sg; independent)

• निराश्रयः: without shelter/support
• निराश्रयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masc nom sg; without support)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-भावे अव्ययीभूत (adverbial accusative: ‘always’)

• अध्यात्मनिरतः: devoted to inner self/spirituality
• अध्यात्मनिरतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अध्यात्म + निरत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषणम्; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (‘engaged in spirituality’) (masc nom sg)

• नीचकेशः: with hair kept low/short
• नीचकेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीच + केश (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘low/humble hair’ i.e., with hair kept low/short) (masc nom sg)

• नखः: (with trimmed) nails
• नखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समाहारार्थे/लक्षणे (masc nom sg; ‘nails’ as a trait)

• वशी: self-controlled
• वशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (masc nom sg; self-controlled)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims in frame narrative

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solitary ascetic sits in meditation near the Ganga, minimal belongings, hair and nails neatly trimmed, gaze inward; the bustle of Kāśī fades behind him.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Yati (ascetic)
• Ādhyātma (inner discipline)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True refuge is inward: the ascetic relies on the Self, cultivates inner practice, and maintains disciplined simplicity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the textual setting, portrayed as a sacred environment supporting strict renunciant discipline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A code of conduct: non-dependence, constant adhyātma practice, and maintaining short hair and nails as marks of discipline.