Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

तीर्थभारैः स सुलभो न कौलीन्येन कन्यके । न वेदशास्त्राभ्यसनैर्न चैश्वर्यबलेन वै

Transliteration

tīrthabhāraiḥ sa sulabho na kaulīnyena kanyake | na vedaśāstrābhyasanairna caiśvaryabalena vai

Translation

ഹേ കന്യകേ! തീർത്ഥയാത്രകളുടെ കൂമ്പാരങ്ങളാലും അവൻ എളുപ്പത്തിൽ ലഭ്യമല്ല; കുലീനത കൊണ്ടുമല്ല, വേദശാസ്ത്രപഠനത്താലുമല്ല, ധന-ഐശ്വര്യബലത്താലുമല്ല.

Word by Word

• तीर्थभारैः: by loads of pilgrimages
• तीर्थभारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + भार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तीर्थाणां भारैः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सुलभः: easily obtained
• सुलभः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुलभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• कौलीन्येन: by noble lineage
• कौलीन्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौलीन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; हेतु/करण-भावे

• कन्यके: O girl
• कन्यके: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्यका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• वेदशास्त्राभ्यसनैः: by study of Vedas and śāstras
• वेदशास्त्राभ्यसनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + शास्त्र + अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वेदशास्त्रयोः अभ्यासैः)

• न: nor
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ऐश्वर्यबलेन: by the power of wealth/sovereignty
• ऐश्वर्यबलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर्य + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ऐश्वर्यस्य बलम्; तेन)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic particle): ‘indeed’

Speaker

Pitā (Father)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kanyā (maiden)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: pilgrims carrying bundles labeled 'tīrtha', a noble family, a scholar with manuscripts, a king with insignia—yet the divine remains distant; a humble ascetic stands nearer through sincerity.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha
• Veda
• Śāstra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

External credentials—pilgrimage-count, pedigree, learning, or wealth—do not guarantee the highest dharmic attainment without inner transformation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Tīrtha is referenced generically; the teaching belongs to the Kāśī Khanda worldview but does not specify a single site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; it cautions against relying solely on externals such as pilgrimage or scholarship.