Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

अनुज्ञातुं न शक्ताऽहं त्वामुत्तानशयांगज । साष्टैकवर्षदेशीयन्तथापि कथयाम्यहम्

Transliteration

anujñātuṃ na śaktā'haṃ tvāmuttānaśayāṃgaja | sāṣṭaikavarṣadeśīyantathāpi kathayāmyaham

Translation

โอ้บุตรแห่งอุตตานศยา แม่ไม่อาจให้อนุญาตแก่เจ้าได้; เจ้าพึ่งมีอายุราวแปดปีเท่านั้น ถึงกระนั้นแม่ก็จะบอกเจ้า (ว่าควรทำสิ่งใด)

Word by Word

• अनुज्ञातुम्: to permit
• अनुज्ञातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + ज्ञा (धातु) → अनुज्ञातुम् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (infinitive), अव्ययभाव; अर्थः—अनुज्ञा कर्तुम्

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

• शक्ता: able
• शक्ता: Predicate adjective (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उत्तानशय: O one lying on the back (supine)
• उत्तानशय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तान + शय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (उत्तानः शयः यस्य)

• अङ्गज: O body-born one, son
• अङ्गज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अङ्गात् जातः)

• साष्टैकवर्षदेशीयन्: being about nine years of age
• साष्टैकवर्षदेशीयन्: Visheshana of त्वम् (implied) (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अष्ट + एक + वर्ष + देशीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—संख्यापूर्वक-तत्पुरुष (अष्टैकवर्षः देशः यस्य/यावत्)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (thus)

• अपि: even so
• अपि: Concessive marker (अपि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-भावार्थक अव्यय (even/also)

• कथयामि: I tell
• कथयामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु, णिच्)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sunīti (addressing Dhruva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A questioning sage/audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mother refuses permission due to the child’s tender age (about eight), yet agrees to explain the proper course—her posture protective, voice instructive.

Characters & Entities

• Sunīti
• Dhruva
• Uttānaśayā (epithet/name)
• age: eight years

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when permission cannot be easily given, compassionate guidance can still be offered to channel zeal wisely.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; it is a domestic and ethical moment within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse introduces forthcoming instruction rather than detailing a rite.