Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

ममाज्ञा दीयतां तस्मात्साहाय्यं करवाणि किम् । यत्कर्तव्यं मादृशैस्ते तत्कृतं भवतैवहि

Transliteration

mamājñā dīyatāṃ tasmātsāhāyyaṃ karavāṇi kim | yatkartavyaṃ mādṛśaiste tatkṛtaṃ bhavataivahi

Translation

پس مجھے اپنا حکم عطا فرمائیے—میں کون سی مدد انجام دوں؟ جو کچھ میرے جیسے وجودوں کو کرنا چاہیے تھا، وہ تو آپ ہی نے پہلے ہی کر دیا ہے۔

Word by Word

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आज्ञा: command, order
• आज्ञा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दीयताम्: let (it) be given
• दीयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘let it be given’

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• साहाय्यम्: help, assistance
• साहाय्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साहाय्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• करवाणि: shall I do / may I do
• करवाणि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/optative-like injunctive in 1st person), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma (Object—relative/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यत्

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done, duty
• कर्तव्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: भविष्यत्कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; √कृ + तव्यत् = ‘to be done’

• मादृशैः: by people like me
• मादृशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ते: for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कृतम्: has been done
• कृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; √कृ = ‘done’

• भवता: by you (hon.)
• भवता: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम-आदरार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; आदरार्थ

• एव: indeed, alone
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• हि: for, indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ-निपात

Speaker

Yama (Dharmarāja)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble figure, hands folded, requests instruction from a superior/divine presence, expressing that the essential work is already done; the posture conveys surrender and readiness to serve.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Dharmarāja
• Bhagavat-bhaktas (implied)
• Śiva-gaṇas (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma includes humility and readiness to serve; even great authorities honor the spiritual accomplishment of devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is within Kāśīkhaṇḍa (Kāśī/Vārāṇasī), though the verse itself highlights service and authority under dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; the focus is on ājñā (command) and sāhāyya (support) as ethical service.