Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

भगवानंतकालेऽत्र तारकस्योपदेशतः । अविमुक्तेस्थिताञ्जन्तून्मोचयेन्नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

bhagavānaṃtakāle'tra tārakasyopadeśataḥ | avimuktesthitāñjantūnmocayennātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Hier, im letzten Augenblick, befreit der erhabene Herr—durch die Unterweisung des Tāraka—die Wesen, die in Avimukta verweilen; daran besteht kein Zweifel.

Word by Word

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अन्तकाले: at the final time (time of death)
• अन्तकाले: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anta + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय

• तारकस्य: of the Tāraka (mantra)
• तारकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• उपदेशतः: from (its) instruction; by the teaching
• उपदेशतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upadeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular); हेतौ/कारणे (from/through instruction)

• अविमुक्ते: in Avimukta (Kāśī)
• अविमुक्ते: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avimukta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); क्षेत्र-नाम

• स्थितान्: situated, staying
• स्थितान्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthita (कृदन्त; √sthā धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) विशेषण

• जन्तून्: beings
• जन्तून्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jantu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मोचयेत्: would liberate, should release
• मोचयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: मोचय-)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation particle/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• अत्र: herein
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sage audience (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva stands as compassionate lord at the threshold of death, holding a trident and rosary; a subtle stream of light (Tāraka-upadeśa) flows from his mouth/heart to the devotee’s ear, while Avimukta’s skyline and Gaṅgā frame the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān (Śiva)
• Tāraka
• Avimukta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Avimukta, Śiva personally ensures liberation at death through the Tāraka instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta (Kāśī/Vārāṇasī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The key ‘prescription’ is being in Avimukta at the final moment, where the Tāraka upadeśa is granted.