Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

कार्या यात्रा प्रयत्नेन क्षेत्रसिद्धिमभीप्सुभिः । तस्यां चतुर्थ्यां त्वत्प्रीत्यै ढुंढे सर्वोपसर्गहृत्

Transliteration

kāryā yātrā prayatnena kṣetrasiddhimabhīpsubhiḥ | tasyāṃ caturthyāṃ tvatprītyai ḍhuṃḍhe sarvopasargahṛt

Translation

ผู้ใดปรารถนาความสำเร็จในเขตศักดิ์สิทธิ์แห่งกาศี พึงประกอบยาตราโดยเพียรพยายาม; และในจตุรถีนั้น เพื่อความปีติของท่าน โอ้ ธูณฑเฮ—ผู้ขจัดอุปสรรคและเคราะห์ทั้งปวง—พึงกระทำพิธีนี้

Word by Word

• कार्या: to be done/should be performed
• कार्या: Predicate complement
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्) → कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (यात्रा)

• यात्रा: the pilgrimage
• यात्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रयत्नेन: with effort
• प्रयत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण

• क्षेत्र-सिद्धिम्: the accomplishment (merit) of the sacred place
• क्षेत्र-सिद्धिम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘क्षेत्रस्य सिद्धिः’

• अभीप्सुभिः: by those desiring
• अभीप्सुभिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभि + ईप्सु (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from आप्/ईप्स् ‘to desire’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; कर्तृ-सम्बन्ध (agent group)

• तस्याम्: on that (day)
• तस्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘तस्यां (चतुर्थ्याम्)’

• चतुर्थ्याम्: on the fourth lunar day
• चतुर्थ्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

• त्वत्-प्रीत्यै: for your pleasure
• त्वत्-प्रीत्यै: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; ‘त्वत्प्रीतये’ (purpose)

• ढुंढे: O Ḍhuṃḍhi
• ढुंढे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ढुंढि (प्रातिपदिक; देवता-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• सर्व-उपसर्ग-हृत्: remover of all obstacles
• सर्व-उपसर्ग-हृत्: Sambodhana-apposition
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + उपसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + हृत् (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from हृ ‘to take away’, क्विप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (ढुंढे इत्यस्य)

Speaker

Skanda (instruction and purpose) in the Kāśī-khaṇḍa Skanda-to-Agastya frame

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Dhūṇḍhirāja Caturthī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kāśī-māhātmya interlocutor

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A determined group of pilgrims walks the Kāśī lanes and ghāṭas at dawn; at a Gaṇeśa shrine they pause on Caturthī, offering lamps and sesame sweets, seeking kṣetra-siddhi; a protective aura dispels shadowy ‘upasargas’.

Characters & Entities

• Dhūṇḍhe (Dhūṇḍhirāja)
• Yātrā
• Caturthī
• Kṣetra-siddhi
• Upasarga (afflictions/obstacles)
• Kāśī (kṣetra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual attainment in a sacred city is supported by earnest effort—pilgrimage and devotion to the obstacle-remover.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī Kṣetra as a place where yātrā and Gaṇeśa devotion lead to kṣetra-siddhi.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Undertake the yātrā with diligence, especially on the relevant Caturthī, as worship meant to please Dhūṇḍhirāja.