Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

आस्तां गुरुकथा दूरं योऽन्यस्यापि लघोरपि । ओमित्युक्त्वा न कुरुते कार्यं सोथ व्रजत्यधः

Transliteration

āstāṃ gurukathā dūraṃ yo'nyasyāpi laghorapi | omityuktvā na kurute kāryaṃ sotha vrajatyadhaḥ

Translation

且不论上师之事：若有人对他人哪怕微小的请求说“是”，却不去完成其事，他便走向下堕与败亡。

Word by Word

• आस्ताम्: let it be; leave aside
• आस्ताम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; अर्थः—‘अस्तु/let it be’

• गुरुकथा: talk about the guru
• गुरुकथा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गुरोः कथा)

• दूरम्: far (away)
• दूरम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)

• अन्यस्य: of another (person)
• अन्यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (concessive/inclusive particle)

• लघोः: of a lesser (person)
• लघोः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लघु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अन्यस्य)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• ओम्: “om/yes”
• ओम्: Sambandha (Utterance/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ओम् (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्गार/प्रणव (interjection)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-चिह्नक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• कुरुते: does
• कुरुते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कार्यं: the task; what should be done
• कार्यं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

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

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (sequence/transition)

• व्रजति: goes
• व्रजति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अधः: downwards; to a lower state
• अधः: Gati (Direction/गति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of direction)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim-audience within the dialogue frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A figure speaks ‘Om’ in assent, then turns away neglectfully; behind him a symbolic downward path/darkening aura indicates adhogati, while a righteous figure keeps his promise and is shown ascending/lightened.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Integrity is dharma: do not consent lightly, and once you assent, complete the duty—otherwise there is moral downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader scripture section is Kāśīkhaṇḍa (Kāśī), but the verse itself is an ethical maxim rather than a tīrtha-stuti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a moral injunction about truthful assent and follow-through.