Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

मनसापि न कर्तव्यमेनोत्र विजिगीषुणा । अत्रत्यमक्षयं यस्मात्सुकृतं सुकृतेतरम्

Transliteration

manasāpi na kartavyamenotra vijigīṣuṇā | atratyamakṣayaṃ yasmātsukṛtaṃ sukṛtetaram

Translation

യഥാർത്ഥ വിജയം ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവൻ ഇവിടെ മനസ്സിലുപോലും പാപം ചെയ്യരുത്; കാരണം ഈ സ്ഥലത്ത് ചെയ്ത കർമ്മം—പുണ്യമോ പാപമോ—അക്ഷയമാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• मनसा: by mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/also, even)

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

• कर्तव्यम्: should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Kriya (Implied obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्तव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ (धातु) + तव्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive)

• एनः: sin / offense
• एनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उत्र: here (in this place)
• उत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक; ‘there/ here’—contextually ‘here’)

• विजिगीषुणा: by one who seeks victory
• विजिगीषुणा: Kartr-karana (Agent / by)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि + जिगीषु (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √जि (धातु) + सन् (desiderative) + उ (उणादि/इच्छार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; इच्छार्थक (desiderative) ‘one wishing to conquer’

• अत्रत्यम्: belonging to this place
• अत्रत्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्र + त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अव्यय-तत्पुरुषः ‘अत्र भवम्’

• अक्षयम्: imperishable
• अक्षयम्: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यस्मात्: because
• यस्मात्: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण हेतु-अव्ययवत् (ablative used as causal ‘because’)

• सुकृतम्: merit / good deed
• सुकृतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘सु कृतम्’

• सुकृत-इतरम्: other than merit (i.e., demerit)
• सुकृत-इतरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुकृत + इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘सुकृतात् इतरम्’

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: vijigīṣuṇaḥ (one seeking true victory) / dvijāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic scene: Kāśī as a luminous field where deeds crystallize—on one side, a devotee restrains mind and senses; on the other, shadowy forms of inner vice dissolve under awareness; the city’s sacred aura suggests ‘akṣaya’ inscription of karma.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Karma
• Puṇya
• Pāpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Because actions in Kāśī carry lasting spiritual weight, one must guard even thoughts and avoid wrongdoing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī as a kṣetra where karma is described as akṣaya (imperishable).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An ethical prescription: refrain from sin even mentally while living/acting in Kāśī.