Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

अनेन वयसा बाल खेलनीयं त्वयाऽनिशम् । बालक्रीडनकैरन्यैः सवयः शिशुभिः समम्

Transliteration

anena vayasā bāla khelanīyaṃ tvayā'niśam | bālakrīḍanakairanyaiḥ savayaḥ śiśubhiḥ samam

Translation

ବାଳକ, ଏହି ବୟସରେ ତୁମେ ସଦା ଖେଳିବା ଉଚିତ—ସମବୟସୀ ଅନ୍ୟ ଶିଶୁମାନଙ୍କ ସହ, ଖେଳ ଓ ଖେଳନାରେ ମଗ୍ନ ହୋଇ।

Word by Word

• अनेन: with this
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Instrumental singular)

• वयसा: by (this) age
• वयसा: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन (Instrumental singular: 'by age')

• बाल: O boy
• बाल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• खेलनीयम्: fit to play/should play
• खेलनीयम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √खेल् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: 'should be played')

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Instrumental singular: 'by you')

• अनिशम्: constantly
• अनिशम्: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनिशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'constantly')

• बालक्रीडनकैः: with childish playthings/toys
• बालक्रीडनकैः: Karana (Instrument/Company/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल + क्रीडनक (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (Instrumental plural; 'with childish toys/players')

• अन्यैः: other
• अन्यैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Instrumental plural)

• सवयः: of the same age
• सवयः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + वयस् (प्रातिपदिक; उपपद-समासवत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (समानवयस्कः) (Masculine, Nom singular)

• शिशुभिः: with children
• शिशुभिः: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental plural)

• समम्: together (with)
• समम्: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/preposition-like: 'together/equally/along with')

Speaker

Sunīti (contextual, Dhruva narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A child-prince is advised to play with peers; toys and playful companions appear, while ascetic paraphernalia is gently set aside.

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It contrasts ordinary life-stages with spiritual striving, underscoring how unusual Dhruva’s determination is.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is mentioned in the verse text.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive counsel about age-appropriate conduct.