Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

न प्रीणिता मया देवा यज्ञैः सर्वैः समृद्धिदाः । तुलसीवन शुश्रूषा न कृता पापशांतये

Transliteration

na prīṇitā mayā devā yajñaiḥ sarvaiḥ samṛddhidāḥ | tulasīvana śuśrūṣā na kṛtā pāpaśāṃtaye

Translation

సమృద్ధిని ప్రసాదించే దేవతలను నేను ఏ యజ్ఞాలతోనూ తృప్తిపరచలేదు; పాపశాంతికై తులసీవన సేవను కూడా నేను చేయలేదు।

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• प्रीणिताः: pleased
• प्रीणिताः: Karma (Object affected/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि (having been pleased)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• यज्ञैः: by sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• सर्वैः: by all
• सर्वैः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (यज्ञैः)

• समृद्धिदाः: givers of prosperity
• समृद्धिदाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समृद्धि + दा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘समृद्धिं ददाति’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (देवाः)

• तुलसीवन: Tulasī-grove
• तुलसीवन: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘तुलस्याः वनम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (अत्र पूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• शुश्रूषा: service/attendance
• शुश्रूषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• कृता: done/performed
• कृता: Karma (Object affected/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि (done)

• पापशांतये: for the pacification of sin
• पापशांतये: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप + शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘पापस्य शान्तिः’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa default dialogue frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tulasī-vana (generic sacred grove within devotional practice)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A neglected yajña-altar lies unused; in contrast, a vibrant Tulasī grove is tended by a devotee—watering, lighting a lamp, and offering leaves—symbolizing accessible purification.

Characters & Entities

• Devāḥ
• Tulasī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is sustained by both yajña (sacrificial duty) and bhakti practices like Tulasī-sevā; neglect of these is framed as a cause of lingering impurity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the broader sacred landscape, while the verse highlights the sanctity of Tulasī-vana (holy basil grove) as a purifying devotional locus.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing yajñas to satisfy the devas and doing śuśrūṣā (service) to a Tulasī grove for pāpa-śānti.