Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

प्रथमं धर्मसर्वस्वं प्रोक्ता यन्नियमा यमाः । अतस्तेष्वेव वै यत्नः कर्तव्यो धर्ममिच्छता

Transliteration

prathamaṃ dharmasarvasvaṃ proktā yanniyamā yamāḥ | atasteṣveva vai yatnaḥ kartavyo dharmamicchatā

Translation

Trước hết—cốt tủy của dharma—được nói chính là yama và niyama. Vì vậy, ai cầu dharma phải chuyên tâm nỗ lực nơi chính các điều ấy.

Word by Word

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially: ‘firstly’)

• धर्मसर्वस्वम्: the entire essence of dharma
• धर्मसर्वस्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + सर्वस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समास: धर्मस्य सर्वस्वम् (the whole essence/wealth of dharma)

• प्रोक्ताः: have been declared
• प्रोक्ताः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate participle of ‘yamāḥ’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+√वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• नियमाः: observances (niyamas)
• नियमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• यमाः: restraints (yamas)
• यमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुतः/तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्यय (therefore)

• तेषु: in them
• तेषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphasis)

• वै: surely
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक अव्यय (particle)

• यत्नः: effort
• यत्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कर्तव्यः: must be done
• कर्तव्यः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective of ‘yatnaḥ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्तव्य (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ धातु, तव्यत् gerundive)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कृदन्त: तव्यत् (to be done)

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• इच्छता: by one desiring
• इच्छता: Karta (Agent in instrumental/कर्ता-निर्देश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘इच्छता’ = ‘by one who desires’

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-sage on a Kāśī ghat instructs a group of pilgrims, pointing to a palm-leaf list titled ‘Yama–Niyama’; behind them rises the Viśvanātha temple spire, suggesting discipline as the gateway to sacred experience.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Niyama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ethical restraints and observances are presented as the starting point and substance of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named; the verse is part of Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s dharma instruction, supporting the sanctity of life in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A discipline-prescription is stated: cultivate yamas and niyamas as the primary dharmic practice.