Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

प्रतीक्षमाणावसरं यथाकालोचितं हि यत् । तदुपस्थापयेत्सर्वमनुद्विग्नातिहृष्टवत्

Transliteration

pratīkṣamāṇāvasaraṃ yathākālocitaṃ hi yat | tadupasthāpayetsarvamanudvignātihṛṣṭavat

Translation

她当守候适当之机，凡合乎时宜者，皆应呈上并安置妥当——不忧惧，也不狂喜。

Word by Word

• pratīkṣamāṇa-avasaram: the awaited opportunity
• pratīkṣamāṇa-avasaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratī√kṣ (धातु) → pratīkṣamāṇa (कृदन्त) + avasara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः ‘प्रतीक्षमाणः अवसरः’ = ‘awaited opportunity’

• yathā-kāla-ucitam: appropriate to the time
• yathā-kāla-ucitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + ucita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (यथाकालम्) + विशेषण ‘उचित’

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• yat: whatever (that which)
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तद्-शब्दः (correlative)

• upasthāpayet: should present/offer
• upasthāpayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa√sthā + ṇic (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense ‘should present/offer’

• sarvam: everything
• sarvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘everything’

• anudvigna-ati-hṛṣṭa-vat: as if neither anxious nor overly delighted
• anudvigna-ati-hṛṣṭa-vat: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: an-udvigna (प्रातिपदिक) + ati-hṛṣṭa (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोग (वत् = ‘like’), क्रियाविशेषण; ‘अनुद्विग्न’ (not anxious) + ‘अतिहृष्ट’ (overjoyed)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A composed devotee quietly waits beside a pūjā setup, then offers items at the right moment; her face serene, hands steady; a clock-like sunbeam suggests proper timing.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Balanced mind in service—performing duties with attentiveness and calm, avoiding agitation or display.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s dharma-teaching atmosphere, supporting the sanctity of life lived rightly in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general rule of proper timing and orderly presentation of required items (especially in worship/household rites).