Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

चैत्रकृष्णप्रतिपदि तत्र यात्रा प्रयत्नतः । क्षेत्रविघ्नशांत्यर्थं कर्तव्या पुण्यकृज्जनैः

Transliteration

caitrakṛṣṇapratipadi tatra yātrā prayatnataḥ | kṣetravighnaśāṃtyarthaṃ kartavyā puṇyakṛjjanaiḥ

Translation

చైత్ర మాస కృష్ణ పక్ష ప్రతిపదనాడు అక్కడ పుణ్యకార్యులు యత్నపూర్వకంగా యాత్ర చేయవలెను; క్షేత్రసంబంధ విఘ్నశాంతి కొరకు।

Word by Word

• चैत्रकृष्णप्रतिपदि: on the first lunar day of the dark fortnight of Caitra
• चैत्रकृष्णप्रतिपदि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र + कृष्ण + प्रतिपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरणे/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चैत्रस्य कृष्णपक्षस्य प्रतिपदि)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• यात्रा: pilgrimage/ritual procession
• यात्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort; diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्नतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• क्षेत्रविघ्नशांत्यर्थम्: for the purpose of pacifying obstacles in the holy place
• क्षेत्रविघ्नशांत्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र + विघ्न + शान्ति + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (क्षेत्रस्य विघ्नस्य शान्त्यर्थम् = for the purpose of pacifying obstacles of the sacred place)

• कर्तव्या: to be done; should be performed
• कर्तव्या: Vidhi (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘यात्रा’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पुण्यकृज्जनैः: by virtuous/merit-doing people
• पुण्यकृज्जनैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्यकृत् + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करणे/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (पुण्यकृत् जनाः = merit-doing people)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra yātrā (annual circuit)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (Implied) the inquiring sages/recipients of Kāśī-māhātmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims at dawn in Kāśī begin a ritual circuit on Caitra kṛṣṇa pratipadā, carrying waterpots and flowers, moving from ghat to shrine with a vighna-śānti resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Caitra
• Pratipadā
• Kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is not only merit-making but also a dharmic method for removing impediments affecting one’s relationship with the sacred kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ‘kṣetra’ and ‘there’ refer to the Kāśī kṣetra as treated throughout the Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A deliberate yātrā (pilgrimage/circuit) on Caitra kṛṣṇa Pratipadā for kṣetra-vighna-śānti.