Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

यात्रा च सांवत्सरिकीं यो न कुर्यादवज्ञया । तस्य विघ्नं प्रयच्छंति योगिन्यः काशिवासिनः

Transliteration

yātrā ca sāṃvatsarikīṃ yo na kuryādavajñayā | tasya vighnaṃ prayacchaṃti yoginyaḥ kāśivāsinaḥ

Translation

അവജ്ഞകൊണ്ട് വാർഷിക യാത്ര ചെയ്യാത്തവന് കാശിവാസിനിയായ യോഗിനികൾ വിഘ്നങ്ങൾ നൽകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• यात्रा: the pilgrimage
• यात्रा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• सांवत्सरिकीम्: annual
• सांवत्सरिकीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सांवत्सरिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘यात्रा’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अवज्ञया: with contempt; out of disrespect
• अवज्ञया: Hetu (Cause/Manner/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतौ/प्रकारे (by/with contempt)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विघ्नम्: obstacle
• विघ्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रयच्छन्ति: they bestow/inflict
• प्रयच्छन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• योगिन्यः: yoginīs
• योगिन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• काशिवासिनः: residing in Kāśī
• काशिवासिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (काश्यां वासिनः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī sāṃvatsarika-yātrā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (Implied) sages/recipients of Kāśī-māhātmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim arrogantly neglects the annual circuit; shadowy yet majestic Yoginīs of Kāśī appear as guardians, placing impediments until humility returns.

Characters & Entities

• Yoginīs
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Disrespect toward dharmic observances tied to a holy place invites obstruction; reverence and continuity safeguard the pilgrim’s path.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is explicitly named, with its Yoginīs presented as guardians of the kṣetra’s discipline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The sāṃvatsarikī yātrā—an annual pilgrimage/circuit—should not be neglected.