Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

ततो गच्छेन्महालक्ष्मीं स्थिरलक्ष्मीसमृद्धये । इमां यात्रां नरः कृत्वा क्षेत्रेस्मिन्मुक्तिजन्मनि

Transliteration

tato gacchenmahālakṣmīṃ sthiralakṣmīsamṛddhaye | imāṃ yātrāṃ naraḥ kṛtvā kṣetresminmuktijanmani

Translation

ତତ୍ପରେ ସ୍ଥିର ଓ ଚିରସ୍ଥାୟୀ ଲକ୍ଷ୍ମୀ-ସମୃଦ୍ଧି ବୃଦ୍ଧି ପାଇଁ ମହାଲକ୍ଷ୍ମୀଙ୍କ ଧାମକୁ ଯିବା ଉଚିତ। ଏହି ମୁକ୍ତିଜନନୀ କ୍ଷେତ୍ରରେ ଏହି ଯାତ୍ରା କରି ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ଶୁଭସିଦ୍ଧି ପାଏ।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थे: अनन्तरम् (thereafter)

• gacchet: should go
• gacchet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; विधिलिङ्-प्रायः आदेशः/should go

• mahālakṣmīm: Mahālakṣmī
• mahālakṣmīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक; महा + लक्ष्मी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्; कर्मपदम्

• sthira-lakṣmī-samṛddhaye: for the prosperity of steady fortune
• sthira-lakṣmī-samṛddhaye: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthira + lakṣmī + samṛddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्तिः (Dative/4th), एकवचनम्; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of)

• imām: this
• imām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (yātrām इति)

• yātrām: pilgrimage/ritual journey
• yātrām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yātrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम्; कर्मपदम्

• naraḥ: a man/person
• naraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; कर्ता

• kṛtvā: having performed
• kṛtvā: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having done)

• kṣetre: in the sacred field
• kṣetre: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; अधिकरणम्

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (kṣetre)

• mukti-janmani: where liberation is born
• mukti-janmani: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mukti + janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (kṣetre) — ‘मुक्तेः जन्म यस्मिन्’ (where liberation is born)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahālakṣmī (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim, having completed earlier Kāśī stations, approaches a Mahālakṣmī shrine with lamps and lotus offerings; the city’s narrow lanes open into a small temple court; Lakṣmī is envisioned as bestowing ‘sthiralakṣmī’ while Kāśī’s mokṣa-aura pervades.

Characters & Entities

• Mahālakṣmī
• Kāśī Kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kāśī, pilgrimage is both worldly-auspicious (stable prosperity) and ultimately liberation-oriented.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mahālakṣmī’s shrine/tīrtha within the Kāśī Kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

To proceed to Mahālakṣmī as part of the prescribed yātrā for attaining steady fortune.