Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

ममैव कार्यं विह्तिं त्वं यदत्र व्यवस्थितः । यस्यां सुरप्रवेशो न तस्मिन्राजनि शासति

Transliteration

mamaiva kāryaṃ vihtiṃ tvaṃ yadatra vyavasthitaḥ | yasyāṃ surapraveśo na tasminrājani śāsati

Translation

แท้จริงแล้ว เมื่อเจ้าประจำอยู่ ณ ที่นี้ ก็เป็นการกระทำภารกิจของเราเอง เพราะในแว่นแคว้นที่เทพทั้งหลายมิอาจย่างกรายเข้าไปได้ กษัตริย์ผู้นั้นย่อมครองราชย์อยู่

Word by Word

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (1st person)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

• कार्यं: task, duty (to be done)
• कार्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) [कृ (धातु) + ण्यत्]
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्, नपुंसकलिङ्गः; विधेय/कर्मार्थक 'to be done'

• विहितिं: arrangement, ordinance
• विहितिं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विहिति (प्रातिपदिक) [वि + धा (धातु) + क्तिन्]
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्, स्त्रीलिङ्गः

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (2nd person)

• यत्: which/that
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: यद्-शब्दः, नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• व्यवस्थितः: stationed, established
• व्यवस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः (PPP used adjectivally), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्, पुल्लिङ्गः; 'stationed/appointed'

• यस्याम्: in which (place)
• यस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्, स्त्रीलिङ्गः; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• सुरप्रवेशः: entry of the gods
• सुरप्रवेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरप्रवेश (प्रातिपदिक) [सुर + प्रवेश]
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्, पुल्लिङ्गः; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुराणां प्रवेशः)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्ययम्

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्, पुल्लिङ्गः/नपुंसकलिङ्गः; निर्देशसूचक (demonstrative)

• राजनि: when/under the king
• राजनि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्, पुल्लिङ्गः

• शासति: rules, governs
• शासति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शास् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Śiva (Deva-deveśa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/saṃvāda audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva explains a strategic cosmic arrangement: Ravi stationed as a vigilant sentinel; in the distance, a shadowed kingdom with barred divine entry, symbolizing a boon-protected or adharmic rule.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Sūrya (Arka/Ravi/Bhāskara)
• Divodāsa (implied ‘that king’)
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic roles are instruments of Śiva’s purpose; divine beings act within dharmic constraints tied to sacred history.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is implied as the domain where extraordinary rules—such as restricting divine entry—operate under Śiva’s will.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse explains divine administration and the exceptional status of the realm.