Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

तां यात्रां नात्रयः कुर्यान्नैवेद्यतिललडुकैः । उपसर्गसहस्रैस्तु स हंतव्यो ममाज्ञया

Transliteration

tāṃ yātrāṃ nātrayaḥ kuryānnaivedyatilalaḍukaiḥ | upasargasahasraistu sa haṃtavyo mamājñayā

Translation

جو کوئی یہاں اس یاترا کو انجام نہ دے اور تل کے لڈّو نَیویدیہ کے طور پر نذر نہ کرے—میرے حکم سے وہ ہزار آفتوں سے مبتلا کیا جائے گا۔

Word by Word

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; निर्देश

• यात्राम्: pilgrimage
• यात्राम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अत्रयः: the Atris (descendants of Atri)
• अत्रयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अत्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘अत्रेः अपत्याः’ (Atri’s descendants)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; निषेधेन सह—‘न ... कुर्यात्’ (should not do)

• नैवेद्य-तिल-लड्डुकैः: with offerings, sesame, and laddus
• नैवेद्य-तिल-लड्डुकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तिल (प्रातिपदिक) + लड्डुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (offerings, sesame, laddus) as means

• उपसर्ग-सहस्रैः: with thousands of obstacles
• उपसर्ग-सहस्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘उपसर्गाणां सहस्रैः’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• स: he
• स: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हन्तव्यः: to be slain
• हन्तव्यः: Predicate complement
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्) → हन्तव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (स इत्यस्य); कर्मणि-भावः (to be killed)

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

• आज्ञया: by (my) command
• आज्ञया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/हेतु (by order)

Speaker

Skanda (stern phalaśruti / injunction) in the Kāśī-khaṇḍa Skanda-to-Agastya frame

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-yātrā with tilaladduka-naivedya (Dhūṇḍhirāja context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kāśī-māhātmya interlocutor/audience of pilgrims

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine command is proclaimed: a pilgrim hesitates to perform the yātrā and offer sesame laddus; looming shadow-forms representing ‘a thousand afflictions’ gather, while the shrine’s light warns and calls back to duty.

Characters & Entities

• Yātrā
• Naivedya
• Tila-laḍḍuka
• Upasarga
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred vows and pilgrimage disciplines are not treated as casual; neglect invites spiritual and worldly disturbance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī setting where the yātrā and sesame-naivedya practice is mandated by the māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform the specified yātrā and offer sesame laddus as naivedya; the verse warns against omission.