Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 88

Devanagari script

तेषां गणानां किं कुर्मो दरिद्राणां वयं विभो । समुद्रा रत्नसंभारं प्रत्यहं प्रेषयंति च

Transliteration

teṣāṃ gaṇānāṃ kiṃ kurmo daridrāṇāṃ vayaṃ vibho | samudrā ratnasaṃbhāraṃ pratyahaṃ preṣayaṃti ca

Translation

ஓ விபோ! அந்த வறிய கணங்களுக்காக நாம் என்ன செய்ய முடியும்? கடல்களே தினந்தோறும் ரத்தினக் குவியலை அனுப்புகின்றன.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of those
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम-रूप (pronoun form)

• गणानाम्: of the groups/hosts
• गणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd) एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• कुर्मः: we do
• कुर्मः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• दरिद्राणाम्: of the poor
• दरिद्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) (गणानाम् इति विशेष्यस्य), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम-रूप

• विभो: O Lord
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• समुद्राः: the oceans
• समुद्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• रत्न-संभारम्: a collection/heap of jewels
• रत्न-संभारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + संभार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रत्नानां संभारः)

• प्रति-अहम्: every day
• प्रति-अहम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय) + अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)

• प्रेषयन्ति: send
• प्रेषयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रेषय् (धातु, णिजन्त/causative of प्रि/इष्?; प्रेषयति)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A courtly, otherworldly vision of the Lord in Kāśī receiving daily tribute: the ocean personified sending heaps of jewels, while humble gaṇas speak of their poverty yet participate in lavish cosmic offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Oceans (Samudras)
• Gaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a supreme sacred realm, even nature becomes an offering—divine grace supplies what is needed, underscoring Kāśī’s unmatched sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, presented as a city so holy that cosmic forces support its divine order.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the verse evokes the idea of continual offerings (nitya-upahāra) to the divine sphere.