Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

निश्चितार्थां श्रुतिमिमां ब्राह्मणासो द्विजोत्तम । तमेकमुपतिष्ठंते निश्चित्येति पुनःपुनः

Transliteration

niścitārthāṃ śrutimimāṃ brāhmaṇāso dvijottama | tamekamupatiṣṭhaṃte niścityeti punaḥpunaḥ

Translation

ਹੇ ਦ੍ਵਿਜੋਤਮ! ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਇਸ ਸ਼੍ਰੁਤੀ ਦੇ ਨਿਸ਼ਚਿਤ ਅਰਥ ਨੂੰ ਜਾਣ ਕੇ, ਵਾਰੰਵਾਰ ਵਿਚਾਰ ਕਰਦੇ ਹੋਏ, ਕੇਵਲ ਉਸ ਏਕ ਪਰਮ ਤੱਤ ਦੀ ਹੀ ਉਪਾਸਨਾ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ।

Word by Word

• निश्चितार्थाम्: having a fixed meaning/purport
• निश्चितार्थाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चित (कृदन्त, नि√चि (धातु) + क्त) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (निश्चितः अर्थः यस्याः सा)

• श्रुतिम्: Vedic revelation; śruti
• श्रुतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्राह्मणासः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानाम् उत्तमः)

• तम्: that (one)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एकम्: one; single
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• उपतिष्ठन्ते: they attend upon; worship
• उपतिष्ठन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप√स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• निश्चित्य: having ascertained
• निश्चित्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि√चि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive): ‘having ascertained/decided’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निगमनार्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आवृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb of repetition)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आवृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb of repetition)

Speaker

Gaṇas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijottama addressed (a leading brāhmaṇa/sage within the dialogue)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of learned brāhmaṇas in Kāśī, seated near a ghat or a small shrine, holding palm-leaf manuscripts, repeatedly contemplating śruti and offering simple worship to a single luminous principle (symbolized as a liṅga or a radiant bindu).

Characters & Entities

• Śruti
• Brāhmaṇas
• Ekam (the One)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right worship follows right discernment: understanding śruti leads to steadfast devotion to the One Reality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred frame; this verse emphasizes doctrinal clarity rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upāsanā of ‘the One’ grounded in śruti—repeated contemplation and confirmation of meaning.