Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

भवादृशामिव मुने प्रायशो धर्मचारिणाम् । विबुधा विदधत्येव महतीरापदांततीः

Transliteration

bhavādṛśāmiva mune prāyaśo dharmacāriṇām | vibudhā vidadhatyeva mahatīrāpadāṃtatīḥ

Translation

मुने, भवादृशानां प्रायशो धर्मचारिणां प्रति विबुधा एव महतीरापदां परम्परां विदधति।

Word by Word

• भवादृशाम्: of people like you
• भवादृशाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत्-आदृश (प्रातिपदिक); घटकाः: भवत् (you) + आदृश (like)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; 'of those like you'

• इव: as/like
• इव: Discourse particle (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• प्रायशः: generally
• प्रायशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रायशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — 'generally/for the most part'

• धर्मचारिणाम्: of those who practice dharma
• धर्मचारिणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक); घटकाः: धर्म + चारिन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; 'of dharma-practitioners'

• विबुधाः: the gods / the wise
• विबुधाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विबुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; 'the wise / gods'

• विदधति: they bring about
• विदधति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (धातु) (वि+√धा)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; 'they arrange/bring about'

• एव: indeed
• एव: Discourse particle (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/अवधारण अव्यय (indeed/only)

• महतīः: great
• महतīः: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; 'great' (qualifying आपदः)

• आपदाम्: of calamities
• आपदाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; 'of calamities' (in compound with ततीः)

• ततीः: series
• ततीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; 'rows/series'

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni (addressed as ‘muni’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage being addressed with reverence while the narrative acknowledges the paradox of divine-caused trials for the righteous; atmosphere of solemn counsel.

Characters & Entities

• Muni (sage)
• Vibudha (Devas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hardship does not negate dharma; it often becomes the proving-ground of righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in Kāśī-kṣetra narration, but this verse itself is not tīrtha-specific.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the emphasis is on steadfast dharma amid adversity.