Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

कृष्टिभिर्हृष्टपुष्टैश्च रम्यहाटकभूषणैः । संजुष्टमिष्टापूर्तानां धर्माणां नित्यकर्तृभिः

Transliteration

kṛṣṭibhirhṛṣṭapuṣṭaiśca ramyahāṭakabhūṣaṇaiḥ | saṃjuṣṭamiṣṭāpūrtānāṃ dharmāṇāṃ nityakartṛbhiḥ

Translation

உன் நாடு மகிழ்ச்சியும் வளமுமுடைய மக்களால் நிரம்பி, அழகிய பொன்னாபரணங்களால் அலங்கரிக்கப்பட்டு, இஷ்ட‑பூர்த்த தர்மங்களை எப்போதும் ஆற்றுவோரால் நிறைந்திருக்கும்.

Word by Word

• कृष्टिभिः: by/with cultivations; by cultivated people/communities
• कृष्टिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/सह), बहुवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Plural)

• हृष्टपुष्टैः: with the joyful and well-nourished
• हृष्टपुष्टैः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (कृदन्त/विशेषण) + पुष्ट (कृदन्त/विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमास (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; copulative compound)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• रम्यहाटकभूषणैः: with beautiful golden ornaments
• रम्यहाटकभूषणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + हाटक (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural; determinative compound)

• संजुष्टम्: adorned/filled
• संजुष्टम्: Visheshya-Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+जुष् (धातु) → संजुष्ट (कृदन्त, भूतकर्मणि/क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; past passive participle)

• इष्टापूर्तानाम्: of sacrifices and charitable works (iṣṭa & pūrta)
• इष्टापूर्तानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + आपूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमास (Neuter, Genitive, Plural; copulative compound)

• धर्माणाम्: of duties/virtues
• धर्माणाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• नित्यकर्तृभिः: by constant performers (of duties)
• नित्यकर्तृभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; determinative compound)

Speaker

Gaṇas (continuing speech, deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene, prosperous sacred cityscape: contented citizens with golden ornaments, priests and householders engaged in worship, and public works (wells, rest-houses) indicating pūrta-dharma.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A righteous society is defined not only by wealth but by continual iṣṭa-pūrta dharma—worship and public charity—linking prosperity to virtue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse describes an ideal kingdom; within Kāśī-khaṇḍa, it supports the larger message that sacred merit cultivates dharmic prosperity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular practice of iṣṭa (rites/worship) and pūrta (charitable public works such as building temples, wells, shelters).