Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

द्रष्टारमविमुक्तस्य दृष्ट्वा दंडधरो यमः । दूरादेव प्रणमति प्रबद्धकरसंपुटः

Transliteration

draṣṭāramavimuktasya dṛṣṭvā daṃḍadharo yamaḥ | dūrādeva praṇamati prabaddhakarasaṃpuṭaḥ

Translation

عندما يرى يَما نفسه، حامل العصا، من قد أبصر أڤيموكتا، ينحني من بعيد، ويداه مضمومتان بخشوع.

Word by Word

• द्रष्टारम्: the seer, the one who beholds
• द्रष्टारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → द्रष्टृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-तृन् (agent noun); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• अविमुक्तस्य: of Avimukta
• अविमुक्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविमुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• दण्डधरः: the staff-bearer
• दण्डधरः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; समास: दण्ड-धर (‘staff-holder’)

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• दूरात्: from afar
• दूरात्: Apādāna (Source/अपाादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative); एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थ (adverbial sense)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• प्रणमति: bows down
• प्रणमति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रबद्ध: bound, joined
• प्रबद्ध: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + बन्ध् (धातु) → प्रबद्ध (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त; used as पूर्वपद in समास

• कर: hand
• कर: Sambandha (Genitival/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; used as मध्यपद in समास

• संपुटः: with folded hands
• संपुटः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संपुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; समास: प्रबद्ध-कर-संपुट (तत्पुरुष: ‘fold of hands joined’)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim marked by Avimukta darśana walks calmly; from afar Yama, dark-hued and majestic with staff (daṇḍa), stops, folds hands, and bows reverently—an inversion of fear where death itself pays homage.

Characters & Entities

• Avimukta
• Yama
• Darśana (seer of Avimukta)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Darśana of Avimukta is described as so sanctifying that even Yama’s authority is subdued into reverence—signifying freedom from fear and karmic bondage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta in Kāśī, whose darśana confers extraordinary sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana of Avimukta (pilgrimage sight of the sacred locus/Liṅga), implying visitation and reverent approach.