Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

तस्माद्व्रतानि सततं चरितव्यानि मानवैः । धर्मसान्निध्य कर्तृणि चतुर्वर्गफलेप्सुभिः

Transliteration

tasmādvratāni satataṃ caritavyāni mānavaiḥ | dharmasānnidhya kartṛṇi caturvargaphalepsubhiḥ

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് മനുഷ്യർ വ്രതങ്ങൾ നിരന്തരം അനുഷ്ഠിക്കണം; പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ചതുര്വർഗഫലങ്ങൾ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവർ, കാരണം വ്രതങ്ങൾ ധർമ്മസാന്നിധ്യവും സാന്നിധ്യബോധവും വരുത്തുന്നു.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Avyaya (Causal/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘तस्मात्’ = therefore/from that reason

• vratāni: vows
• vratāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• satatam: constantly
• satatam: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘सततम्’ = always/continually

• caritavyāni: are to be practiced
• caritavyāni: Predicate (Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: car (धातु) → caritavya (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; भाव्य/कर्तव्यतार्थक—‘चरितुं योग्य/आवश्यक’ (to be practiced)

• mānavaiḥ: by humans
• mānavaiḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (कर्ता-करण), बहुवचन

• dharmasānnidhya: the presence of dharma
• dharmasānnidhya: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + sānnidhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—धर्मस्य सान्निध्यम्

• kartṛṇi: in the doer (agent)
• kartṛṇi: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘कर्तृ’ = doer/agent; सप्तमी—अधिकरणे (in the doer)

• caturvargaphalepsubhiḥ: by those desiring the fruits of the four aims of life
• caturvargaphalepsubhiḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + varga (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + ipsu (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—चतुर्वर्गस्य फलम् (धर्मार्थकाममोक्षफलम्) तद् इप्सवः (इष् धातोः ‘इप्सु’ = desiring)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of pilgrims moving from ghat to temple at dawn, each carrying minimal belongings, embodying continuous vows; Dharma is suggested as an invisible companion walking beside them.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Caturvarga
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Regular vrata is presented as the practical method for keeping Dharma ‘close,’ enabling success in all four life-goals.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; it supports the chapter’s broader Kāśī vrata-and-tīrtha framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Continuous practice of vratas, especially for those pursuing caturvarga (dharma–artha–kāma–mokṣa).