Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

स्वस्थोपविष्टान्स्वपुरोरग्रतोऽचलमानसान् । प्रणम्योपाविशत्तत्र तदाचार्यस्य सन्निधौ

Transliteration

svasthopaviṣṭānsvapuroragrato'calamānasān | praṇamyopāviśattatra tadācāryasya sannidhau

Translation

ครั้นเห็นเขาทั้งหลายนั่งสงบอยู่เบื้องหน้า จิตมั่นคงไม่หวั่นไหว เขาจึงนอบน้อมกราบด้วยศรัทธาก่อน แล้วจึงนั่งลง ณ ที่นั้น ต่อหน้าพระอาจารย์ผู้ควรบูชา

Word by Word

• स्वस्थ: healthy, at ease
• स्वस्थ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (acc. pl. masc.)

• उपविष्टान्: seated
• उपविष्टान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-√विश् (धातु) → उपविष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (past passive participle)

• स्व: one's own
• स्व: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः; समासपूर्वपदत्वेन (indeclinable-like pronominal adjective)

• पुरः: in front
• पुरः: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; स्थानवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• अग्रतः: ahead, before
• अग्रतः: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; स्थानवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb)

• अचल: unmoving, steady
• अचल: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• मानसान्: minds (mentally)
• मानसान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (acc. pl. masc.)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-√नम् (धातु) → प्रणम्य (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive)

• उपाविशत्: sat down
• उपाविशत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-√विश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (locative adverb)

• तद्: that
• तद्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपदत्वेन निर्देशः (that; used as determiner)

• आचार्यस्य: of the teacher
• आचार्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम् (gen. sg.)

• सन्निधौ: in the presence
• सन्निधौ: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण), एकवचनम् (loc. sg.)

Speaker

Skanda (narration within Skanda–Agastya dialogue, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tranquil teaching setting: disciples seated steady-minded; a newcomer bows and sits near the revered ācārya, emphasizing humility and order.

Characters & Entities

• Ācārya
• disciples/ascetics

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approach to sacred knowledge begins with humility—bowing to the teacher and sitting attentively in the guru’s presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, where encounters with realized teachers are part of the city’s spiritual greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed here; the implied discipline is respectful conduct (praṇāma) and attentive seated listening near the guru.