Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

विधिक्रतोर्दशगुणं जपस्यफलमश्नुते । विधिक्रतोर्दशगुणो जपक्रतुरुदीरितः

Transliteration

vidhikratordaśaguṇaṃ japasyaphalamaśnute | vidhikratordaśaguṇo japakraturudīritaḥ

Translation

విధిపూర్వకంగా చేసిన క్రతుయజ్ఞ ఫలానికి పదిగుణంగా జపఫలం చెప్పబడింది; అందుకే జపమే ‘జపక్రతు’ అని, విధిక్రతుకంటే పదిగుణ శ్రేష్ఠమని ప్రకటించారు।

Word by Word

• विधिक्रतोः: of the ritual according to rule
• विधिक्रतोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘विधेः क्रतुः’

• दशगुणम्: tenfold
• दशगुणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः—‘दश गुणाः यस्य तत्’ (here as adjective)

• जपस्य: of japa (repetition)
• जपस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• फलम्: fruit, result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अश्नुते: attains, enjoys
• अश्नुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• विधिक्रतोः: of the rule-based ritual
• विधिक्रतोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• दशगुणः: tenfold
• दशगुणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः

• जपक्रतुः: the japa-ritual
• जपक्रतुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भावे तत्पुरुषः—‘जपः एव क्रतुः’ / ‘जपस्य क्रतुः’

• उदीरितः: is declared, is stated
• उदीरितः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + ईर् (धातु) → उदीरित (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-sādhaka seated on a pañcagaṅgā-like ghat at dawn, counting a rudrākṣa mālā; behind him a subtle vision of a Vedic yajña-fire fades, indicating japa as the higher inner sacrifice; temple spires and Gaṅgā currents frame the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Kāśī (implied context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner, disciplined japa is exalted as a powerful sacrifice, often surpassing external ritual in spiritual fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa framework, implicitly glorifying Kāśī as the setting where such dharma is taught and practiced.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It compares vidhi-based kratu (yajña) with japa, prescribing japa as a superior ‘japa-kratu’ in terms of merit.