Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

विधियज्ञाः प्रवर्तंते पृथिव्यां बहुदक्षिणाः । निराबाधं तपः कच्चिदस्ति शश्वत्तपस्विनाम्

Transliteration

vidhiyajñāḥ pravartaṃte pṛthivyāṃ bahudakṣiṇāḥ | nirābādhaṃ tapaḥ kaccidasti śaśvattapasvinām

Translation

ഭൂമിയിൽ വിധിപ്രകാരം യജ്ഞങ്ങൾ ധാരാളം ദക്ഷിണകളോടെ നടക്കുന്നതുണ്ടോ? എന്നും തപസ്സിൽ നിലകൊള്ളുന്ന തപസ്വികളുടെ തപസ് നിർബാധമായി നടക്കുന്നുണ്ടോ?

Word by Word

• विधियज्ञाः: properly prescribed sacrifices
• विधियज्ञाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि + यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘विधिना यज्ञाः’ (rites according to rule)

• प्रवर्तन्ते: proceed, are carried on
• प्रवर्तन्ते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पृथिव्याम्: on the earth
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन

• बहुदक्षिणाः: with abundant gifts (dakṣiṇā)
• बहुदक्षिणाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘बह्व्यः दक्षिणाः यस्य’ (having many gifts/fees)

• निराबाधम्: unobstructed
• निराबाधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्/निः + आबाध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः ‘निर्-आबाध’ = without obstruction; ‘तपः’ इति विशेषणम्

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (अत्र प्रथमा—‘तपः … अस्ति’)

• कच्चित्: surely? I hope
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (Interrogative particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-नूनार्थक

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शश्वत्: always, continually
• शश्वत्: Sambandha (Adverbial qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शश्वत् (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक (always/continually); ‘तपस्विनाम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणार्थे

• तपस्विनाम्: of ascetics
• तपस्विनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

Speaker

Śiva (Śambhu)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two parallel sacred scenes: a Vedic yajña with blazing fire, priests chanting, patrons offering abundant dakṣiṇā; and nearby, ascetics in forest-edge or riverside hermitage practicing tapas in undisturbed stillness.

Characters & Entities

• Yajña
• Tapasvins (ascetics)
• Earth (Pṛthivī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through yajña (sacred duty with generosity) and tapas (disciplined inner power) protected from disruption.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse reflects the dharmic climate within the Kāśī-centered purāṇic setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of injunction-based yajñas with proper dakṣiṇā; protection of ascetics’ tapas from hindrance.