Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

अक्लीबभाषिभिश्चापि पुत्रक्षेत्राद्यहीनकैः । परोपकारसंक्षीणसुखायुर्धनसंचयैः

Transliteration

aklībabhāṣibhiścāpi putrakṣetrādyahīnakaiḥ | paropakārasaṃkṣīṇasukhāyurdhanasaṃcayaiḥ

Translation

याचा उपभोग तेही करतात जे भ्याडपणे न बोलता निर्भय वाणी बोलतात, जे पुत्र-क्षेत्रादींनी हीन नाहीत, आणि ज्यांचे सुख, आयुष्य व धनसंचय परोपकाराने वाढले आहेत।

Word by Word

• अक्लीबभाषिभिः: by those who speak without impotence (bold speakers)
• अक्लीबभाषिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्लीब (प्रातिपदिक) + भाषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (अक्लीबाः भाषिणः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘also’

• पुत्रक्षेत्राद्यहीनकैः: by those lacking sons, fields, etc.
• पुत्रक्षेत्राद्यहीनकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + हीनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (पुत्र-क्षेत्र-आदि-रहिताः) विशेषण

• परोपकारसंक्षीणसुखायुर्धनसंचयैः: by those whose happiness, lifespan, and wealth-accumulation are diminished through helping others
• परोपकारसंक्षीणसुखायुर्धनसंचयैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकार (प्रातिपदिक) + संक्षीण (कृदन्ताधारित) + सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक) + संचय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (परोपकारेण संक्षीणं सुखं आयुः धनसंचयश्च येषाम्) विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: a dvija

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dignified householder speaking fearlessly in an assembly, then distributing gifts and aid to the needy; symbolic measures of increased ‘āyuḥ’ and ‘śrī’ shown as flourishing granaries, long lamp-flames, and full water-pots.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma expressed as courage in speech, household stability, and especially helping others (paropakāra) becomes a cause of increased well-being and auspicious afterlife fruits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the tīrtha-fruit theme within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa, without naming a single shrine; the implied frame is the sanctifying power of Kāśī and tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual is prescribed; ethical dharma—paropakāra—is emphasized as spiritually efficacious.