Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

कथं नृपासनं योग्यमुत्तमस्य कथं न मे । कथं मे सुकृतं तुच्छमुत्तमस्योत्तमं कथम्

Transliteration

kathaṃ nṛpāsanaṃ yogyamuttamasya kathaṃ na me | kathaṃ me sukṛtaṃ tucchamuttamasyottamaṃ katham

Translation

“Paano naging karapat-dapat kay Uttama ang trono ng hari, at paanong hindi ito karapat-dapat sa akin? Paano naging hamak ang aking kabutihang nagawa, at paanong ang kay Uttama ay sukdulang dakila?”

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• नृपासनम्: royal throne/seat
• नृपासनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, nominative, singular; compound: नृपस्य आसनम्

• योग्यम्: fit/suitable
• योग्यम्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, nominative, singular; predicate adjective

• उत्तमस्य: of Uttama
• उत्तमस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; masculine, genitive, singular

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• न: not
• न: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• मे: to me / for me
• मे: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; enclitic ‘me’ (genitive/dative singular) — here dative sense

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; enclitic — here genitive sense

• सुकृतम्: merit/good deed
• सुकृतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, nominative, singular

• तुच्छम्: trifling/insignificant
• तुच्छम्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, nominative, singular; predicate adjective

• उत्तमस्य: of Uttama
• उत्तमस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; masculine, genitive, singular

• उत्तमम्: excellent (merit)
• उत्तमम्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; neuter, nominative/accusative, singular — here nominative as predicate/subject complement

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

Speaker

Dhruva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dhruva gestures toward an imagined throne, then to his own chest, questioning merit; the throne looms as a background motif; Sunīti’s expression suggests she will soon counsel him toward the forest and the Lord.

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva
• Uttama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly entitlement is uncertain; lasting ‘uttamatā’ is gained through righteous discipline and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.