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

若有人在此不行彼朝圣之旅，又不以芝麻团丸（laddū）作供献（naivedya）——依我之命，当令其遭受千般灾厄。

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.