Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

ममाज्ञा दीयतां तस्मात्साहाय्यं करवाणि किम् । यत्कर्तव्यं मादृशैस्ते तत्कृतं भवतैवहि

Transliteration

mamājñā dīyatāṃ tasmātsāhāyyaṃ karavāṇi kim | yatkartavyaṃ mādṛśaiste tatkṛtaṃ bhavataivahi

Translation

म्हणून मला आज्ञा द्या—मी कोणती साहाय्यसेवा करू? माझ्यासारख्यांनी जे करणे योग्य, ते तर तुम्हीच एकट्याने करून टाकले आहे।

Word by Word

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आज्ञा: command, order
• आज्ञा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दीयताम्: let (it) be given
• दीयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘let it be given’

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• साहाय्यम्: help, assistance
• साहाय्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साहाय्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• करवाणि: shall I do / may I do
• करवाणि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/optative-like injunctive in 1st person), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma (Object—relative/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यत्

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done, duty
• कर्तव्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: भविष्यत्कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; √कृ + तव्यत् = ‘to be done’

• मादृशैः: by people like me
• मादृशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ते: for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कृतम्: has been done
• कृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; √कृ = ‘done’

• भवता: by you (hon.)
• भवता: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम-आदरार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; आदरार्थ

• एव: indeed, alone
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• हि: for, indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ-निपात

Speaker

Yama (Dharmarāja)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble figure, hands folded, requests instruction from a superior/divine presence, expressing that the essential work is already done; the posture conveys surrender and readiness to serve.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Dharmarāja
• Bhagavat-bhaktas (implied)
• Śiva-gaṇas (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma includes humility and readiness to serve; even great authorities honor the spiritual accomplishment of devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is within Kāśīkhaṇḍa (Kāśī/Vārāṇasī), though the verse itself highlights service and authority under dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; the focus is on ājñā (command) and sāhāyya (support) as ethical service.