Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

चतुर्षु भूतग्रामेषु ह्येक एव गुणो नृणाम् । तस्मिन्वै भारते वर्षे कर्मभूमौ महीयसि

Transliteration

caturṣu bhūtagrāmeṣu hyeka eva guṇo nṛṇām | tasminvai bhārate varṣe karmabhūmau mahīyasi

Translation

چار قسم کی مخلوقات میں صرف انسان ہی یہ امتیازی خوبی رکھتے ہیں، خاص طور پر بھارت ورش میں، جو عمل کی عظیم سرزمین ہے۔

Word by Word

• चतुर्षु: in the four
• चतुर्षु: Adhikaraṇa (location/domain)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• भूतग्रामेषु: among the groups of beings
• भूतग्रामेषु: Adhikaraṇa (location/domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (भूतानां ग्रामः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतु (indeed/for)

• एकः: one
• एकः: Viśeṣaṇa (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: only; just
• एव: Sambandha (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• गुणः: quality; virtue
• गुणः: Karta (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), निश्चय/प्रसिद्धि (indeed)

• भारते: in Bhārata
• भारते: Viśeṣaṇa (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying varṣe)

• वर्षे: in the land/region (varṣa)
• वर्षे: Adhikaraṇa (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्मभूमौ: in the land of action
• कर्मभूमौ: Adhikaraṇa (location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म + भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (कर्मणः भूमिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महीयसि: in the greater/most excellent (land)
• महीयसि: Viśeṣaṇa (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महीयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative) विशेषण

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhārata-varṣa (as karmabhūmi) / Kāśī (as mokṣa-kṣetra exemplar)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic map-like vision: the four ‘assemblies of beings’ contrasted, with humans highlighted holding a lamp of discernment; Bhārata-varṣa depicted as a sacred landmass with Kāśī glowing like a jewel on the Gaṅgā.

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata-varṣa
• Karma-bhūmi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human birth—particularly in Bhārata-varṣa—is a privileged chance to perform dharma and seek liberation through right action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a single tīrtha is named, but the Kāśī-khaṇḍa context ties this teaching to India’s sacred landscape, with Kāśī as preeminent.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse frames Bhārata-varṣa as the arena where spiritual practice and karma bear decisive fruit.