Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

पृष्टश्चेत्कथयामीह मा तत्र कुरु संशयम् । तत्कृते तव गंता वै मनो निर्वेदकारणम्

Transliteration

pṛṣṭaścetkathayāmīha mā tatra kuru saṃśayam | tatkṛte tava gaṃtā vai mano nirvedakāraṇam

Translation

କିନ୍ତୁ ଯଦି ମୋତେ ପଚାରିବ, ମୁଁ ଏଠାରେ କହିବି—ଏଥିରେ ସନ୍ଦେହ କରନି। ସେହି କାରଣରୁ ତୋର ମନ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ନିର୍ବେଦ-ବୈରାଗ୍ୟର କାରଣକୁ ପହଞ୍ଚିବ।

Word by Word

• पृष्टः: asked
• पृष्टः: Karta (Conditioned subject: ‘if (I am) asked’/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √प्रच्छ् से क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition marker/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-निपात (conditional particle ‘if’)

• कथयामि: I tell
• कथयामि: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; नामधातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• मा: do not
• मा: Sambandha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (prohibitive particle, used with imperative)

• तत्र: there, in that matter
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• कुरु: make, do
• कुरु: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• संशयम्: doubt
• संशयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• तत्कृते: for that (reason)
• तत्कृते: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् + कृते (कृत (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ से क्त) से)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb): ‘for that reason/for that purpose’

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गन्ता: (it) will go
• गन्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: तृन्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun/future sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; ‘one who will go’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• निर्वेदकारणम्: cause of dispassion/repentance
• निर्वेदकारणम्: Karma (Predicate complement/कर्म-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वेद + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (निर्वेदस्य कारणम्)

Speaker

Dvija (Brāhmaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājā (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The brāhmaṇa raises a hand in assurance, promising to speak when asked; the king’s face shows relief and focused attention, signaling an imminent turning point toward renunciation-minded counsel.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truthful instruction, when properly sought, can awaken nirveda (disenchantment) that turns the mind toward higher dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse functions as part of Kāśī’s broader mokṣa-oriented discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it concerns the ethical conditions for giving spiritual counsel.