Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

समर्चनाच्च भक्त्या वै मम नाम जपादपि । नैःश्रेयसीं श्रियं दद्यामन्यत्रापि तनुत्यजाम

Transliteration

samarcanācca bhaktyā vai mama nāma japādapi | naiḥśreyasīṃ śriyaṃ dadyāmanyatrāpi tanutyajāma

Translation

وبالعبادة المخلصة، وحتى بترديد اسمي، أمنح النعمة العظمى؛ بل حتى من يطرح الجسد في موضعٍ آخر أهب له ذلك الخير الأسمى.

Word by Word

• समर्चनात्: from (the act of) worship
• समर्चनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर्चन (सम्+अर्च् धातु, भाव-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचनम्; हेत्वर्थे (from/by worship)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (भक्ति-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचनम्; करण/हेतुवाचक (with devotion)

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

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

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (नामन्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• जपात्: from (the act of) recitation
• जपात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (जप-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचनम्; हेत्वर्थे (from/by repetition)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• नैःश्रेयसीम्: supremely beneficial
• नैःश्रेयसीम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैःश्रेयसी (नैःश्रेयसी-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (leading to highest good)

• श्रियम्: prosperity/fortune
• श्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (श्री-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्

• दद्याम्: I would give / may I grant
• दद्याम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (दा-धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुषः (1st person), एकवचनम्

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikarana (Adverbial location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (elsewhere)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• तनु-त्यजाम्: I abandon the body / I die
• तनु-त्यजाम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तनु (तनु-प्रातिपदिक) + त्यज् (त्यज्-धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुषः (1st person), एकवचनम्; ‘तनु’ उपसर्गवत्/कर्मोपपद-सम्बन्धः (to abandon the body)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced: first-person ‘mama nāma’, vow-like granting of naiḥśreyasa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedārakuṇḍa (as a focal point for Śiva-bhakti)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahādevī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee performs simple worship—bilva leaves, water, lamp—while softly repeating Śiva’s name; a luminous thread of grace reaches even a distant dying person, symbolizing trans-local liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied by ‘my Name’)
• Japa
• Bhakti
• Naiḥśreyasa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti and nāma-japa are presented as direct means to the highest good, extending beyond strict geographic limits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kāśī-Kedāra sanctity is implied, but the verse highlights Śiva’s grace through worship and name-repetition even outside the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Samarcana (devotional worship) and nāma-japa (chanting Śiva’s name).