Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

वस्तव्यं सततं काश्यां यष्टव्योहं प्रयत्नतः । जेतव्यौ कलिकालौ च रंतव्या मुक्तिरंगना

Transliteration

vastavyaṃ satataṃ kāśyāṃ yaṣṭavyohaṃ prayatnataḥ | jetavyau kalikālau ca raṃtavyā muktiraṃganā

Translation

کاشی میں ہمیشہ بسنا چاہیے؛ مجھے پوری کوشش سے پوجنا چاہیے؛ کلی یگ کے فتنوں پر فتح پانی چاہیے؛ اور مکتی—شریفہ ہمسر—میں رَم جانا چاہیے۔

Word by Word

• vastavyam: to be dwelt in; one should reside
• vastavyam: Kriyā (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vas (धातु) + tavya (कृत्)
• Form: भाव्य/कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विधेय-भावे ‘वस्तव्यम्’ = ‘one should dwell’

• satatam: always, continually
• satatam: Kāla/Prakāra (Continuity/काल-प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverb)

• kāśyām: in Kāśī
• kāśyām: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• yaṣṭavyaḥ: to be worshipped/sacrificed to
• yaṣṭavyaḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yaj (धातु) + tavya (कृत्)
• Form: कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘अहम्’ इति कर्तृ-विशेषणम्

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• prayatnataḥ: with effort, diligently
• prayatnataḥ: Prakāra (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prayatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb) = ‘with effort’

• jetavyau: to be conquered
• jetavyau: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ji (धातु) + tavya (कृत्)
• Form: कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; ‘कलिकालौ’ इति विशेषणम्

• kali-kālau: the Kali age (as an adversary)
• kali-kālau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kali (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; कर्मधारयः (कलिः एव कालः)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• raṃtavyā: to be enjoyed/delighted in
• raṃtavyā: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ram (धातु) + tavya (कृत्)
• Form: कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (तव्यत्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘मुक्तिरङ्गना’ इति विशेषणम्

• mukti-raṃganā: liberation as a beloved woman
• mukti-raṃganā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक) + raṃganā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (मुक्तिः एव रङ्गना)

Speaker

Śiva (as Maheśāna)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devotees/brāhmaṇas (instructional address)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-householder living in Kāśī performs Śiva-pūjā; shadowy figures symbolizing Kali’s vices retreat; Mukti appears as a radiant noble lady (raṅgaṇa) with a garland, while the Gaṅgā and temples witness.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Kali-yuga
• Mukti
• Śiva (implied by aham)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Make Kāśī your spiritual home, worship Śiva diligently, overcome Kali-yuga’s pull, and rest in the joy of liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), recommended as a continual place of residence for spiritual victory.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship of Śiva (‘yaṣṭavyo’ham’) and the discipline of Kāśīvāsa (living in Kāśī) are directly prescribed.