Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

एवमादिभिरुद्दंडैः क्रियाकांडैरनेकशः । पंचरात्रमुषित्वा तु कृत्वा तीर्थान्यनेकशः

Transliteration

evamādibhiruddaṃḍaiḥ kriyākāṃḍairanekaśaḥ | paṃcarātramuṣitvā tu kṛtvā tīrthānyanekaśaḥ

Translation

अशा अनेक कठोर क्रियाकांडांनी व विधिनिष्ठ कर्मे वारंवार करून, ते पाच रात्री तेथे राहिले आणि अनेक तीर्थे व पवित्र स्थळांचे दर्शन-सेवन केले।

Word by Word

• evam-ādibhiḥ: by such and other (means)
• evam-ādibhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: evam (अव्यय) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (एवम्-प्रकारादयः)

• uddaṃḍaiḥ: by intense/rigorous
• uddaṃḍaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uddaṃḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण (तीव्र/उग्र)

• kriyā-kāṃḍaiḥ: by ritual sections/acts
• kriyā-kāṃḍaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kriyā (प्रातिपदिक) + kāṃḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (क्रियायाः काण्डाः = कर्मकाण्डाः)

• anekaśaḥ: many times; in many ways
• anekaśaḥ: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anekaśas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (पुनःपुनः/बहुधा)

• paṃca-rātram: for five nights
• paṃca-rātram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṃcan (प्रातिपदिक) + rātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्च रात्राः यस्य/पञ्चरात्रम् = पञ्चरात्र-पर्यन्तम्)

• uṣitvā: having stayed
• uṣitvā: Adverbial (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु) (उष्-आदेश), क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (उषित्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/contrast)

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Adverbial (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु), क्त्वा-प्रत्यय
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• tīrthāni: pilgrimage-rites/holy places (acts at tīrthas)
• tīrthāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• anekaśaḥ: many times
• anekaśaḥ: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anekaśas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (बहुधा)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī tīrthas (collective)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages (typical)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of pilgrims with staffs and waterpots completes rigorous rites and then moves through Kāśī’s lanes and ghāṭs, marking a five-night stay while visiting multiple tīrthas.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Merit in Kāśī is intensified through disciplined observance and sustained pilgrimage—devotion expressed over time, not merely in a moment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s network of tīrthas is implied—multiple sacred spots within the Kāśī-maṇḍala visited as part of the vow.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A structured stay of five nights (pañcarātra) together with repeated performance of ritual duties and tīrtha-visitation.