Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

अद्य धन्यतरोस्मीह यद्दृष्टौ भगवद्गणौ । सेवा सदैव मे ज्ञाप्या श्रीमच्चरणसन्निधौ

Transliteration

adya dhanyatarosmīha yaddṛṣṭau bhagavadgaṇau | sevā sadaiva me jñāpyā śrīmaccaraṇasannidhau

Translation

今日我最为有福，因为得见世尊之眷属侍从。愿我常得受命，在其圣足之前奉事。

Word by Word

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• धन्यतरः: more blessed
• धन्यतरः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• यत्: because
• यत्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यत्

• दृष्टौ: (they) have been seen
• दृष्टौ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया—‘have been seen’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय) ‘दृष्ट’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; √दृश् = ‘seen’

• भगवद्गणौ: the Lord’s attendants (two)
• भगवद्गणौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भगवतः गणौ)

• सेवा: service
• सेवा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Sambandha (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक (adverb)

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

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

• ज्ञाप्या: should be made known
• ज्ञाप्या: Kriya (Predicate—obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; √ज्ञा/ज्ञप् (to inform) = ‘to be informed/announced’

• श्रीमच्चरणसन्निधौ: in the presence of the revered feet
• श्रीमच्चरणसन्निधौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (श्रीमन्तः चरणाः तेषां सन्निधौ)

Speaker

Yama (Dharmarāja)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee radiates gratitude after beholding two divine attendants; the devotee gestures toward the Lord’s feet (symbolically present), praying for continuous service near the sacred feet.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Bhagavat
• Bhagavad-gaṇas (attendants)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest blessing is darśana of the Lord’s associates and the longing for continual service at the divine feet.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage is embedded in Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s glorification of Kāśī, where divine proximity and liberation-themes are foregrounded.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is given; the verse presents the inner discipline of seva-bhāva (the attitude of service).