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Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68

स जीवति पुमान्योऽत्र बहुभिश्चोपजीव्यते । जीवन्मृतोथ विज्ञेयः पुरुषः स्वोदरंभरिः

sa jīvati pumānyo'tra bahubhiścopajīvyate | jīvanmṛtotha vijñeyaḥ puruṣaḥ svodaraṃbhariḥ

ในโลกนี้ บุรุษผู้เป็นที่พึ่งแก่คนมากมายเท่านั้นชื่อว่า “มีชีวิต” จริง ส่วนผู้ที่อยู่เพื่ออิ่มท้องตนเองเท่านั้น พึงรู้ว่าเป็นดุจคนตายทั้งที่ยังมีลมหายใจ

सःhe
सः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)
जीवतिlives
जीवति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootजीव् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular), परस्मैपदम्
पुमान्a man
पुमान्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपुमांस्/पुमान् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)
यःwho
यः:
Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)
अत्रhere
अत्र:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक-अव्ययम् (locative adverb: 'here')
बहुभिःby many (people)
बहुभिः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootबहु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम् (Plural)
and
:
Samuccaya (Coordination)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction: 'and')
उपजीव्यतेis supported/lived upon
उपजीव्यते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootउप-जीव् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular), आत्मनेपदम्, कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (Passive)
जीवन्living
जीवन्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootजीव् (धातु)
Formशतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः वर्तमान-कृदन्तः (present active participle), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
मृतःdead
मृतः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमृ (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्तः भूतकृदन्तः (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
अथthen/indeed
अथ:
Sambandha (Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअनन्तरार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle: 'then/indeed')
विज्ञेयःshould be known (as)
विज्ञेयः:
Vidhi (Predicate qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootवि-ज्ञा (धातु)
Formतव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययार्थे (gerundive: 'to be known'), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
पुरुषःa person
पुरुषः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)
स्वोदरंभरिःone who fills only his own belly (selfish)
स्वोदरंभरिः:
Samjna/Predicate noun (संज्ञा)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व + उदरंभरि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य उदरं भरति इति)

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Scene: A householder in Kāśī stands at his doorway near a lane leading to the Gaṅgā ghāṭs, distributing food and water to pilgrims, widows, and students; behind him, a storeroom of grain is open, symbolizing ‘support for many’. In contrast, a solitary figure clutches a pot of food, visually ‘alive yet dead’.

FAQs

A meaningful life is measured by how much one supports others; selfish living is spiritually lifeless.

The broader context is Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, though this verse teaches general dharma rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

No specific rite is prescribed; it gives an ethical standard supporting dāna and social responsibility.