Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

अविमुक्तरहस्यज्ञा मुच्यंते ज्ञानि नो नराः । अज्ञानिनोपि तिर्यञ्चो मुच्यंते गतकिल्बिषाः

Transliteration

avimuktarahasyajñā mucyaṃte jñāni no narāḥ | ajñāninopi tiryañco mucyaṃte gatakilbiṣāḥ

Translation

অবিমুক্ত (কাশী)-র রহস্য যাঁরা জানেন, সেই জ্ঞানী নরগণ মুক্ত হন। অজ্ঞানীরাও—এমনকি পশুপক্ষীরাও—পাপক্ষয় হয়ে মুক্তি লাভ করে।

Word by Word

• अविमुक्त-रहस्य-ज्ञाः: knowers of the secret of Avimukta (Kāśī)
• अविमुक्त-रहस्य-ज्ञाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविमुक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (धातु √ज्ञा/ज्ञा- ‘जानने’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अविमुक्तस्य रहस्यं जानन्ति इति)

• मुच्यन्ते: are liberated
• मुच्यन्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु, ‘मोचने/विमोचने’)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ज्ञानिनः: the wise (knowers)
• ज्ञानिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• उ: indeed
• उ: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/अनुनासिक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• अज्ञानिनः: the ignorant
• अज्ञानिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-ज्ञानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षा-निपात (particle: also/even)

• तिर्यञ्चः: animals (beings of the animal realm)
• तिर्यञ्चः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिर्यञ्च् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• मुच्यन्ते: are liberated
• मुच्यन्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु, ‘मोचने/विमोचने’)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• गत-किल्बिषाः: whose sins have departed / sinless
• गत-किल्बिषाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त, √गम् ‘गत्यर्थे’ क्त) + किल्बिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (किल्बिषं गतं/अपगतं येषाम्)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni (addressed as ‘naraḥ/muni’ in surrounding frame; here the teaching is general)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic proclamation within Kāśī’s sacred aura: sages and pilgrims near Viśveśvara, with animals (birds, cattle, dogs) also bathed in the same sanctity, suggesting universal liberation under Śiva’s gaze.

Characters & Entities

• Avimukta (Kāśī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī (Avimukta) is intrinsically liberating; knowledge of its sacred mystery and even mere association can dissolve sin and grant release.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta—another name for Kāśī/Varanasi, celebrated as a supreme mokṣa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the verse emphasizes the salvific power of Avimukta and the merit of knowing its rahasya (sacred doctrine).