Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

अवश्यंभाविनो भावा भविष्यंति पदेपदे । सलक्ष्मीनिलयां काशीं ते त्यजंति कुतो धियः

Transliteration

avaśyaṃbhāvino bhāvā bhaviṣyaṃti padepade | salakṣmīnilayāṃ kāśīṃ te tyajaṃti kuto dhiyaḥ

Translation

अवश्य घडणाऱ्या घटना पावलोपावली घडतात; मग शुभलक्ष्मीचे निवासस्थान असलेल्या काशीला ज्ञानी कसे काय सोडतील?

Word by Word

• अवश्यम्भाविनः: inevitable
• अवश्यम्भाविनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवश्यम् (अव्यय) + भाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अवश्यं भाविनः = necessarily occurring)

• भावाः: events/conditions
• भावाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भविष्यन्ति: will occur/be
• भविष्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• पदे: at (each) step
• पदे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पदे: at step after step
• पदे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (पदेपदे)

• सलक्ष्मीनिलयाम्: having Lakshmi as her abode / abode of prosperity
• सलक्ष्मीनिलयाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय-सह) + लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक) + निलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (लक्ष्म्याः निलयः यस्याः सा) + ‘स’ उपपद (with)

• काशीम्: Kashi
• काशीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• त्यजन्ति: abandon
• त्यजन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• कुतः: how/why
• कुतः: Kriya-viseshana (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: whence/how)

• धियः: (such) minds/understandings
• धियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa context typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wise pilgrim walks through Kāśī’s lanes as small ‘inevitable events’ (rain, crowds, obstacles) arise; above, Lakṣmī’s auspicious presence is symbolized by lotus-gold light resting over the city, while Śiva’s sanctity anchors the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Lakṣmī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Since obstacles are unavoidable everywhere, one should hold to the highest refuge—Kāśī—rather than flee from life’s uncertainties.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, praised as the auspicious seat of Lakṣmī and thus both spiritually and materially blessed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it promotes steadfast residence/devotion rather than a particular vrata or donation.