Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

विपश्चित्संचयेदर्थानिष्टापूर्ताय कर्मणे । तपोर्थमायुर्निर्विघ्नं दारांश्चापत्यलब्धये

Transliteration

vipaścitsaṃcayedarthāniṣṭāpūrtāya karmaṇe | taporthamāyurnirvighnaṃ dārāṃścāpatyalabdhaye

Translation

அறிவுடையவன் இஷ்ட-யாகமும் பூர்த்த-தர்மமும் (பொதுநல தானம்) செய்யத் தேவையான செல்வத்தைச் சேகரிக்க வேண்டும்; தவத்திற்காக இடையூறு இல்லாத ஆயுளை நாட வேண்டும்; சந்தானப் பெறுதற்காக மனைவியை ஏற்க வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• विपश्चित्: a wise person
• विपश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपश्चित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative singular

• संचयेत्: should accumulate
• संचयेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + चि (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — Optative, 3rd person singular, active

• अर्थान्: wealth/resources
• अर्थान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative plural

• इष्टापूर्ताय: for sacrificial rites and charitable works
• इष्टापूर्ताय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन — Neuter (collective dvandva), Dative singular; “for iṣṭa and pūrta (rites and public works)”

• कर्मणे: for action/ritual duty
• कर्मणे: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन — Neuter, Dative singular

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Sambandha (Purpose element/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative singular (as first member in purpose-compound)

• अर्थम्: for the sake (of)
• अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative singular; अर्थे (हेतौ) — “for the sake of”

• आयुः: life/lifespan
• आयुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative singular

• निर्विघ्नम्: free from obstacles
• निर्विघ्नम्: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc. singular; विशेषणम् (आयुः) — adjective qualifying āyuḥ

• दारान्: a wife (lit. wives/spouse)
• दारान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन — Masculine, Accusative plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय — conjunction “and”

• अपत्यलब्धये: for obtaining offspring
• अपत्यलब्धये: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + लब्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः “अपत्यस्य लब्धिः” — Feminine, Dative singular

Speaker

Kalāvatī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (general dharma-teaching context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Spouse/householder counterpart (immediate); sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage-like didactic moment within a household narrative: the speaker enumerates the proper purposes of wealth, life, and marriage—like a dharma-śāstra aphorism embedded in story.

Characters & Entities

• Kalāvatī
• Iṣṭa
• Pūrta
• Tapaḥ
• Apatya (offspring)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Artha, longevity, and marriage are to be pursued as instruments of dharma—supporting charity, worship, austerity, and lineage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is mentioned; it provides general dharma teaching within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yes: iṣṭa (sacrificial worship) and pūrta (charitable/public meritorious works), along with tapas as a dharmic discipline.