Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

नैःश्रेयस्याः श्रियो हेतुस्तदस्तु जगदीश्वर । नानुशोचति नाख्याति कृत्वा कालांतरेपि यत्

Transliteration

naiḥśreyasyāḥ śriyo hetustadastu jagadīśvara | nānuśocati nākhyāti kṛtvā kālāṃtarepi yat

Translation

ข้าแต่พระผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งโลก ขอให้สิ่งนั้นเป็นเหตุแห่งนิḥศฺเรยส (ความเกษมสูงสุด) และศรีอันแท้จริง—คือกรรมที่ทำแล้ว แม้กาลเวลาผ่านไปนาน ก็ไม่ต้องเสียใจ และไม่จำต้องโอ้อวด

Word by Word

• नैःश्रेयस्याः: of the highest good (final beatitude)
• नैःश्रेयस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैःश्रेयस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रियो: of prosperity; of fortune
• श्रियो: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (वैदिक/छान्दस रूप)

• हेतुः: cause; means
• हेतुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्-सदृश), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• जगत्-ईश्वर: O Lord of the world
• जगत्-ईश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जगतः ईश्वरः)

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

• अनुशोचति: grieves; regrets
• अनुशोचति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-शुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

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

• आख्याति: tells; declares
• आख्याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• काल-अन्तरे: at a later time
• काल-अन्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कालस्य अन्तरम्)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ (even)

• यत्: which (deed)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (कर्म-स्थान)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Addressed to Jagadīśvara within the verse; overall audience is the listener of Kāśī-māhātmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A quiet donor in Kāśī gives alms and offers worship without witnesses, then walks away silently; in contrast, a boastful figure fades into the background, emphasizing inner purity.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Jagadīśvara)
• Kāśī (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A truly dharmic act is one that remains free from later remorse and is done without pride or self-advertisement.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s devotional setting frames the teaching, though the verse itself highlights ethical dharma rather than naming a sub-tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is mandated; the prescription is ethical—perform deeds that withstand time, free of regret and boasting.