Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

पितरं च गुरूंश्चापि हृदि ध्यात्वा प्रसन्नधीः । ततश्चावश्यकं कर्तुं नैरृतीं दिशमाश्रयेत्

Transliteration

pitaraṃ ca gurūṃścāpi hṛdi dhyātvā prasannadhīḥ | tataścāvaśyakaṃ kartuṃ nairṛtīṃ diśamāśrayet

Translation

ପ୍ରସନ୍ନ ବୁଦ୍ଧିରେ ହୃଦୟଭିତରେ ପିତା ଓ ଗୁରୁମାନଙ୍କୁ ଧ୍ୟାନ କରି, ପରେ ଆବଶ୍ୟକ କର୍ମ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ନୈଋତି (ଦକ୍ଷିଣ-ପଶ୍ଚିମ) ଦିଗକୁ ଆଶ୍ରୟ କର।

Word by Word

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

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

• गुरून्: teachers/elders
• गुरून्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)

• हृदि: in the heart/mind
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated upon
• ध्यात्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘ध्यै’ धातोः

• प्रसन्न-धीः: one whose mind is serene
• प्रसन्न-धीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; ‘प्रसन्ना धीः यस्य सः’ इति बहुव्रीह्यर्थेऽपि प्रचलितम्

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (then/thereafter)

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

• आवश्यकम्: necessary
• आवश्यकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आवश्यक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘कर्तुम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘कृ’ धातोः

• नैरृतीम्: southwestern
• नैरृतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैरृती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘दिशम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• दिशम्: direction
• दिशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• आश्रयेत्: should resort to
• आश्रयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm pilgrim, eyes lowered, meditates on father and gurus as subtle figures above his heart; he then turns toward the south-west, preparing to leave the inhabited area for a necessary act.

Characters & Entities

• Father (Pitṛ)
• Gurus (Teachers)
• Nairṛti direction (South-West)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Daily bodily acts should be framed by remembrance of dharma—honoring father and teachers—so that conduct remains disciplined and pure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the instruction belongs to Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s broader dharma-setting that supports purity for Kāśī-oriented religious life.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Before the ‘necessary act’ (āvaśyaka), meditate on father and gurus, and orient oneself toward the south-west (nairṛtī diśā).