Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

राज्ययोग्यो भवत्येष महालक्षणलक्षितः । पुनस्तत्रैव नेतव्यो योगिन्यस्त्वविलंबितम्

Transliteration

rājyayogyo bhavatyeṣa mahālakṣaṇalakṣitaḥ | punastatraiva netavyo yoginyastvavilaṃbitam

Translation

“ഇവൻ മഹാലക്ഷണങ്ങളാൽ അടയാളപ്പെട്ടവൻ; രാജ്യത്വത്തിന് യോഗ്യൻ. അതിനാൽ, ഹേ യോഗിനികളേ, വൈകാതെ അവനെ അവിടേക്കുതന്നെ തിരികെ കൊണ്ടുപോകുക.”

Word by Word

• राज्ययोग्यः: fit for kingship
• राज्ययोग्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + योग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (‘for kingship’ + ‘fit’)

• भवति: is/becomes
• भवति: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक (this)

• महालक्षणलक्षितः: marked by great signs
• महालक्षणलक्षितः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √लक्ष्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (‘by great marks’ + ‘marked/characterized’); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (again)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Locative adverb/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थ (just/indeed)

• नेतव्यः: should be taken/led
• नेतव्यः: Vidhi (Obligatory predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √नी (धातु)
• Form: भविष्यत्कृदन्त (तव्यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः (to be led/should be taken)

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

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेष/विरोधार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• अविलम्बितम्: without delay
• अविलम्बितम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ (नञ्) + विलम्बित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √लम्ब् caus./√विलम्ब्)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन रूपेण प्रयुक्तम् (adverbial accusative): ‘without delay’

Speaker

Skanda (narration; directive voiced within the Mātṛ/Yoginī assembly)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Yoginīs/Mothers proclaim the child fit for kingship, pointing to auspicious marks; messengers prepare to escort him back immediately; the child’s halo intensifies, suggesting destiny unfolding.

Characters & Entities

• Yoginīs
• Mātṛgaṇa
• the child destined for kingship

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious signs and divine sanction indicate dharmic responsibility—power (rājya) is presented as a destiny to be guided by sacred authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative moves toward a specific śakti-pīṭha-like locus in Kāśī (later named Pañcamudrā), portrayed as a decisive place for siddhi and destiny.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; the instruction is immediate relocation to the sacred locus, implying the importance of being brought to the right pīṭha.