Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

न गर्तेषु ससत्वेषु न तिष्ठन्न व्रजन्नपि । गोविप्रसूर्यवाय्वग्नि चंद्रर्क्षांबु गुरूनपि

Transliteration

na garteṣu sasatveṣu na tiṣṭhanna vrajannapi | goviprasūryavāyvagni caṃdrarkṣāṃbu gurūnapi

Translation

జీవులు ఉన్న గోతుల్లో నిలబడి గానీ, నడుచుచుండగా గానీ మలమూత్ర విసర్జన చేయకూడదు। అలాగే గోవులు, బ్రాహ్మణులు, సూర్యుడు, వాయువు, అగ్ని, చంద్రుడు, నక్షత్రాలు, జలం, గురువులు—వీటి వైపు ముఖం పెట్టి కూడా చేయకూడదు।

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• गर्तेषु: in pits/holes
• गर्तेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ससत्वेषु: (pits) containing living beings
• ससत्वेषु: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (सत्त्वयुक्तेषु) गर्तेषु विशेषण

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• तिष्ठन्: standing
• तिष्ठन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘standing’ (कर्तरि)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• व्रजन्: going
• व्रजन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘going’ (कर्तरि)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवाद-अव्यय (even/also)

• गोविप्रसूर्यवाय्वग्निचंद्रर्क्षांबु: cows, brahmins, sun, wind, fire, moon, stars, and water (as a collective)
• गोविप्रसूर्यवाय्वग्निचंद्रर्क्षांबु: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + विप्र + सूर्य + वायु + अग्नि + चन्द्र + ऋक्ष + अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (गो-विप्र-सूर्य-वायु-अग्नि-चन्द्र-ऋक्ष-अम्बूनि)

• गुरून्: elders/teachers
• गुरून्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (also)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (purity discipline within sacred mandala)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim pauses outside the sacred precinct, looking for a proper secluded spot; in the background are cows, a brāhmaṇa, a small sacred fire, the river, and the sun/moon motifs—showing the sense of being watched by cosmic witnesses; a pit with small creatures is carefully avoided.

Characters & Entities

• cow (go)
• vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Sūrya
• Vāyu
• Agni
• Candra
• stars (ṛkṣa)
• water (ambu)
• guru
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity is inseparable from reverence: avoid harming small beings and avoid disrespecting sacred persons and cosmic powers through impure acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kāśī setting is implied; the Kāśīkhaṇḍa frames such conduct as part of Kāśī’s sacred discipline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prohibitions regarding where and in whose direction one may discharge waste, emphasizing non-harm and reverence.