Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

श्रुतिस्मृतिविहीना ये शौचाचारविवर्जिताः । येषां क्वापि गतिर्नास्ति तेषां वाराणसी गतिः

Transliteration

śrutismṛtivihīnā ye śaucācāravivarjitāḥ | yeṣāṃ kvāpi gatirnāsti teṣāṃ vārāṇasī gatiḥ

Translation

ผู้ที่ขาดคำชี้นำแห่งศรุติและสมฤติ ผู้ที่ไร้ความบริสุทธิ์และความประพฤติชอบ—ผู้ที่ไม่มีที่พึ่ง ณ ที่ใดเลย; สำหรับเขา วาราณสีคือที่พึ่ง

Word by Word

• श्रुतिस्मृतिविहीनाः: devoid of śruti and smṛti
• श्रुतिस्मृतिविहीनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति- स्मृति- विहीन (प्रातिपदिक; श्रुति + स्मृति + विहीन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्वपूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (श्रुतिस्मृतिभ्यां विहीनाः)

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

• शौचाचारविवर्जिताः: bereft of purity and right conduct
• शौचाचारविवर्जिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शौच-आचार-विवर्जित (प्रातिपदिक; शौच + आचार + विवर्जित)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त; वि-√वृज्/वर्ज्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्वपूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (शौचाचारयोः विवर्जिताः)

• येषाम्: of whom
• येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• क्वापि: anywhere
• क्वापि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनिश्चित-स्थानार्थक

• गतिः: refuge/way
• गतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• अस्ति: exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तेषाम्: for them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• वाराणसी: Vārāṇasī
• वाराणसी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गतिः: refuge/destination
• गतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (quoted saying; Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame tradition: Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vārāṇasī / Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A confused pilgrim without scriptural guidance stands at a ghāṭ; a compassionate priest points toward the temple and the river, symbolizing a path from disorder to śauca and ācāra.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī
• Kāśī
• Śruti
• Smṛti
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even those who have fallen from dharmic guidance are not excluded—Kāśī is praised as a place of restoration and refuge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the verse emphasizes the sanctifying power of Kāśī itself.