Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

तव निःश्वसितं वेदास्तेभ्यः सर्वमवैष्यसि । वेददृष्टेन मार्गेण कुरु सर्वं यथोचितम्

Transliteration

tava niḥśvasitaṃ vedāstebhyaḥ sarvamavaiṣyasi | vedadṛṣṭena mārgeṇa kuru sarvaṃ yathocitam

Translation

வேதங்கள் உன் மூச்சே; அவற்றினாலே நீ அனைத்தையும் அறிந்துகொள்வாய். வேதம் காட்டிய வழியில் நடந்து, எல்லாவற்றையும் உரிய முறையில் செய்.

Word by Word

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

• निःश्वसितम्: breath; exhalation
• निःश्वसितम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niḥ-√śvas (श्वस्, धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st)/द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle used as noun: ‘that which is breathed out’)

• वेदाः: the Vedas
• वेदाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• तेभ्यः: from them
• तेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म-रूपेण

• अवैष्यसि: you will know/understand
• अवैष्यसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√i (इ, धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्/Future), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वेददृष्टेन: seen/indicated by the Veda
• वेददृष्टेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛṣṭa (√dṛś, क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तृतीया-सम्बन्धः; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेदेन दृष्टः)

• मार्गेण: by the path; through the way
• मार्गेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• कुरु: do
• कुरु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ, धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• यथा-उचितम्: as appropriate
• यथा-उचितम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + ucita (प्रातिपदिक/क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (as is proper)

Speaker

Mahādeva (Śiva) (continuation from prior verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva instructs Viṣṇu with a calm, authoritative gesture; subtle visualization of Vedas as luminous breath—scrolls or radiance emanating like prāṇa.

Characters & Entities

• Vedas
• Mahāviṣṇu/Acyuta (addressee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is to be carried out in alignment with Vedic guidance; scripture is portrayed as divine breath and ultimate authority.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

While not naming a spot, the Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting frames Kāśī as a locus where Vedic dharma is affirmed and taught.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general prescription is given: act ‘by the path seen in the Veda’ (veda-dṛṣṭa-mārga), i.e., perform duties according to scriptural rule.