Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

देशः कोशो बलं दुर्गं यदन्यदपि भामिनि । तत्त्वदीयं न मे किंचित्स्वाम्यमात्रमिहास्ति मे

Transliteration

deśaḥ kośo balaṃ durgaṃ yadanyadapi bhāmini | tattvadīyaṃ na me kiṃcitsvāmyamātramihāsti me

Translation

“แผ่นดิน คลังทรัพย์ กองทัพ ป้อมปราการ และสิ่งอื่นใดทั้งหมด โอ้ผู้ผ่องพราย ล้วนเป็นของเจ้า ที่นี่แท้จริงแล้วเราไม่มีสิ่งใดเป็นของตน เหลือเพียงนามว่า ‘ความเป็นเจ้า’ เท่านั้น”

Word by Word

• देशः: territory; land
• देशः: कर्ता (in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कोशः: treasury
• कोशः: कर्ता (in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बलम्: army; strength
• बलम्: कर्ता (in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दुर्गम्: fort
• दुर्गम्: कर्ता (in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative)

• अन्यत्: other
• अन्यत्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of यत्)

• अपि: also
• अपि: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also/even)

• भामिनि: O lovely one
• भामिनि: सम्बोधन
• Type: Noun
• Root: भामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्ता/विधेय (anaphoric)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश (that)

• त्वदीयम्: yours
• त्वदीयम्: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वद् + ईय (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तद्धित-प्रत्यय (possessive adjective)

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

• मे: of me; my
• मे: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन (Genitive/Dative singular) ‘of me/to me’; अत्र षष्ठी (my)

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: कर्ता/कर्म (with न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किञ्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्वाम्यमात्रम्: mere ownership; only lordship
• स्वाम्यमात्रम्: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाम्य + मात्र (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: स्वाम्यस्य मात्रम् (mere lordship)

• इह: here
• इह: अधिकरण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here)

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: to me; for me
• मे: सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (to me/for me) वा षष्ठी (of me)

Speaker

King

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (typical)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king enumerates instruments of power—realm, treasury, army, forts—then relinquishes them, standing as a figure of humbled sovereignty; the beloved is shown as rightful recipient, symbolizing virtue’s claim over power.

Characters & Entities

• King
• Kalāvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Non-possessiveness and generosity are hallmarks of dharmic rulership—power is treated as stewardship, not selfish ownership.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is mentioned; the verse belongs to the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s broader sacred narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the spirit aligns with dāna (generous giving) as a royal virtue.