Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

कृच्छ्रचांद्रायणादीनि तथा नक्तव्रतानि च । शरीरशुद्धिकारीणि न कृतानि क्वचिन्मया

Transliteration

kṛcchracāṃdrāyaṇādīni tathā naktavratāni ca | śarīraśuddhikārīṇi na kṛtāni kvacinmayā

Translation

കൃച്ഛ്രം, ചാന്ദ്രായണം മുതലായ തപസ്സുകളും നക്തവ്രതം പോലുള്ള വ്രതങ്ങളും—ശരീരശുദ്ധികരങ്ങൾ—ഞാൻ ഒരിക്കലും ചെയ്തിട്ടില്ല।

Word by Word

• कृच्छ्रचांद्रायणादीनि: kṛcchra, cāndrāyaṇa, and other (vows/penances)
• कृच्छ्रचांद्रायणादीनि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र + चान्द्रायण + आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व/सूचीभावः, 'आदि' समाहारार्थे

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• नक्तव्रतानि: night-vows (fasts observed at night)
• नक्तव्रतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्त + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

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

• शरीरशुद्धिकारीणि: causing bodily purification
• शरीरशुद्धिकारीणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरीर + शुद्धि + कारिन् (कृ धातु; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण; 'कारिन्' = कर्तृवाचक

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• कृतानि: done/performed
• कृतानि: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• क्वचित्: ever/at any time
• क्वचित्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ever/anywhere)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana/Agent in passive (कर्ता-करणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya; repentance-style narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (discipline within kṣetra-life)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An ascetic ideal contrasted with a remorseful householder: a sage performs regulated fasting with a lunar calendar motif (cāndrāyaṇa), another eats only at night (naktavrata) symbolized by moonlit meal; the narrator bows, admitting non-performance.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse highlights neglected disciplines and thereby motivates taking up purifying vows before life declines.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The adhyāya belongs to Kāśī-kṣetra’s dharma instruction; this verse itself is about vows rather than naming a locality.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

References to Kṛcchra, Cāndrāyaṇa, and Naktavrata—classical expiatory/purificatory observances.