Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

सारसो लक्ष्मणाकंठे कंठमाधाय निश्चलः । मन्यामहे न निद्रातिध्यायेद्विश्वेश्वरं किल

Transliteration

sāraso lakṣmaṇākaṃṭhe kaṃṭhamādhāya niścalaḥ | manyāmahe na nidrātidhyāyedviśveśvaraṃ kila

Translation

Ein Kranich, der seinen Hals auf Lakṣmaṇās Hals legt, steht reglos. Wir meinen, er schläft keineswegs—gewiss meditiert er über Viśveśvara (Śiva).

Word by Word

• सारसः: the crane (sāras bird)
• सारसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• लक्ष्मणाकण्ठे: on Lakṣmaṇā’s neck
• लक्ष्मणाकण्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मणा (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लक्ष्मणायाः कण्ठे)

• कण्ठम्: (his) neck
• कण्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आधाय: having placed/rested
• आधाय: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√धा (धातु, ‘स्थापने/धारणे’)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• निश्चलः: motionless
• निश्चलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सारसस्य)

• मन्यामहे: we think
• मन्यामहे: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मन् (धातु, ‘मनने/बुद्धौ’)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन

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

• निद्राति-ध्यायेत्: would meditate (even) beyond sleep / without sleeping
• निद्राति-ध्यायेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + अति (अव्यय) + √ध्यै (धातु, ‘चिन्तायाम्/ध्यान’)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समासः/योगः—अति-निद्रा (अत्यधिक-निद्रा) उपलक्षणेन ‘निद्राति’

• विश्वेश्वरम्: Viśveśvara (Lord of the universe)
• विश्वेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विश्वस्य ईश्वरः)

• किल: indeed/they say
• किल: Sambandha/Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: खलु/श्रुति-निपात (particle: indeed/it is said)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; narrative voice describing marvels)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśveśvara in Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni (frame listener) and/or devas among themselves

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene riverbank or grove in Kāśī: a crane stands perfectly still, its neck resting gently on another bird (Lakṣmaṇā), while an unseen presence of Viśveśvara is felt—suggesting the bird’s ‘meditation’.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kāśī, even creatures appear naturally inclined toward stillness and contemplation of Śiva—devotion becomes effortless.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Viśveśvara of Kāśī (the principal Śiva of the Avimukta-kṣetra) is directly invoked.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; the verse highlights dhyāna (meditative absorption) as an ideal response to Kāśī’s sanctity.