Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

नौकाद्युपायैर्न द्यादौ पांथान्ये तारयंत्यपि । तारयंत्यपि दुःखाब्धेस्तत्र नागरिका द्विज

Transliteration

naukādyupāyairna dyādau pāṃthānye tārayaṃtyapi | tārayaṃtyapi duḥkhābdhestatra nāgarikā dvija

Translation

โอ้พราหมณ์ ผู้เป็นชาวเมืองใดใช้เรือและอุบายต่าง ๆ พาผู้เดินทางข้ามแม่น้ำและที่คล้ายกัน—แท้จริงแล้วเขายังช่วยสรรพสัตว์ข้ามมหาสมุทรแห่งทุกข์ได้ด้วย

Word by Word

• नौका: boat
• नौका: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नौका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति-समर्थ (समासाङ्ग), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग (समासपूर्वपद)

• आदि: etc.
• आदि: Sambandha (Modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘etc.’ अर्थे (ādi = and the like)

• उपायैः: by means/methods
• उपायैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• द्यादौ: at the outset / in the first place
• द्यादौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्यौ/द्याद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग (पाठभेदसम्भव); ‘द्यादौ’ = ‘द्यौः-आदौ’ इति लोकप्रयोगः (in the beginning/at first)

• पान्थान्: travellers/wayfarers
• पान्थान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• तारयन्ति: help (them) cross / ferry across
• तारयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (cause to cross)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• तारयन्ति: ferry across
• तारयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु) + णिच्
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• अपि: even/indeed
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ (even/indeed)

• दुःखाब्धेः: of the ocean of suffering
• दुःखाब्धेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + अब्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; समासः—दुःखस्य अब्धिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

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

• नागरिका: citizens/townsmen
• नागरिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागरिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग (पाठे ‘नागरिका’ इति; ‘नागरिकाः’ अपेक्षितम्)

• द्विज: O twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā-tīrtha within Kāśī (river-crossing service)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija (brāhmaṇa) addressed in the verse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Boatmen and townspeople help pilgrims cross a wide river; the scene subtly overlays a symbolic ‘ocean of suffering’—dark waves behind, while the boat moves toward a luminous ghāṭa and temple spires.

Characters & Entities

• Dvīja (Brāhmaṇa)
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Practical help that carries others across danger becomes spiritual help that carries one across suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s pilgrimage setting, implicitly connected with river-crossings and traveler support.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Providing boat-service or other conveyance to help wayfarers cross rivers and difficult passages.