Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

असंयतः कुबुद्धीनामात्मा बंधाय कल्पते । धीमद्भिः संयतः सोपि पदं दद्यादनामयम्

Transliteration

asaṃyataḥ kubuddhīnāmātmā baṃdhāya kalpate | dhīmadbhiḥ saṃyataḥ sopi padaṃ dadyādanāmayam

Translation

କୁବୁଦ୍ଧିମାନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଅସଂଯତ ଆତ୍ମା ବନ୍ଧନର କାରଣ ହୁଏ; କିନ୍ତୁ ସେଇ ଆତ୍ମା ଧୀମାନମାନେ ସଂଯମ କଲେ ନିର୍ମଳ, ନିରାମୟ ପଦ ଦେଏ।

Word by Word

• असंयतः: unrestrained
• असंयतः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ+संयत (प्रातिपदिक; संयम् धातु → संयत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग; कृदन्त (क्त) — ‘unrestrained’

• कुबुद्धीनाम्: of the foolish/ill-minded
• कुबुद्धीनाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुबुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक; कु+बुद्धि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; ‘दुष्टा बुद्धिः’

• आत्मा: the self
• आत्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• बन्धाय: for bondage
• बन्धाय: Sampradana (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for bondage)

• कल्पते: becomes/is fit
• कल्पते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• धीमद्भिः: by/with the wise
• धीमद्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण/सहकारक (by/with the wise)

• संयतः: restrained
• संयतः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं+यम् (धातु) → संयत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त (क्त) — ‘restrained’

• सः: he/that one
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-प्रयोगः (also/even)

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दद्यात्: would give/grant
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अनामयम्: free from disease/sorrow
• अनामयम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनामय (प्रातिपदिक; अ+आमय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पदम्) — ‘आमयरहित’

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two contrasted vignettes: a restless person pulled by senses (chains imagery) versus a composed sage seated in meditation by the Ganga, radiating clarity; the ‘same self’ shown as pivot.

Characters & Entities

• Ātman (self)
• Bandha/Moksha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The same inner faculty can bind or liberate: lack of restraint causes bondage; disciplined wisdom yields the sorrowless state.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is delivered within Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s liberating landscape, where self-discipline is extolled.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No external ritual; it prescribes saṃyama (restraint/self-control) cultivated by the wise.