Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

अयाचितोपस्थितया यो वृत्त्या वर्तते गृही । येन केनापि संतुष्टो भिक्षुकात्स विशिष्यते

Transliteration

ayācitopasthitayā yo vṛttyā vartate gṛhī | yena kenāpi saṃtuṣṭo bhikṣukātsa viśiṣyate

Translation

Ang maybahay na namumuhay sa kabuhayang dumarating nang di hinihingi, at nasisiyahan sa anumang makamtan, ay higit pa kaysa isang pulubi-monghe.

Word by Word

• अयाचितोपस्थितया: by (means of) what comes unasked
• अयाचितोपस्थितया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-याचित (√याच्) + उपस्थित (√स्था) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त-समास; ‘अयाचित’ (नञ्+क्त) + ‘उपस्थित’ (क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भावे—अयाचितया उपस्थितया (by what comes unasked)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• वृत्त्या: by a livelihood/means of living
• वृत्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण (by livelihood/means)

• वर्तते: lives/maintains himself
• वर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (lives/exists/behaves)

• गृही: a householder
• गृही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• येन: by which/with whatever
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (by which/with whatever)

• केन: by anything
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्न/अनिर्दिष्टार्थ (by what/any)

• अपि: even/at all
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (even/also; here: ‘whatever at all’)

• संतुष्टः: content/satisfied
• संतुष्टः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-तुष् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय; past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (content/satisfied)

• भिक्षुकात्: than a beggar/mendicant
• भिक्षुकात्: Apadana (Standard of comparison/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तुलनायाम् (than a mendicant)

• स: he
• स: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विशिष्यते: is superior/excels
• विशिष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-शिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (excels/is distinguished)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A modest householder receives simple food-grain offered spontaneously by a neighbor; he smiles with contentment, while a mendicant nearby looks restless, counting alms—contrasting inner states rather than social roles.

Characters & Entities

• Gṛhastha
• Bhikṣuka
• Santoṣa (contentment)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Contentment and integrity in livelihood are powerful virtues; inner renunciation can shine within household life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-oriented dharma discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it recommends living without begging and cultivating contentment with what comes naturally.