Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

अत्र त्रिलोचनादन्यं समर्चयतियोल्पधीः । सलोचनोपि विज्ञेयो लोचनाभ्यां विवर्जितः

Transliteration

atra trilocanādanyaṃ samarcayatiyolpadhīḥ | salocanopi vijñeyo locanābhyāṃ vivarjitaḥ

Translation

Wer hier aus geringem Verstand einen anderen als den Dreiäugigen Herrn verehrt, der sei—obwohl er Augen hat—als des wahren Sehens beraubt erkannt.

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• त्रिलोचनात्: than Trilocana (Śiva)
• त्रिलोचनात्: Apadana (अपादान; ‘from/than’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (त्रीणि लोचनानि यस्य = त्रिलोचनः, शिवः)

• अन्यम्: another
• अन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (कर्मपद)

• समर्चयति: worships
• समर्चयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; ‘worships’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• अल्पधीः: one of little understanding
• अल्पधीः: Karta (कर्ता; यः-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अल्प + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अल्पा धीः यस्य)

• सलोचनः: having eyes
• सलोचनः: Karta/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (लोचनानि सन्ति यस्य)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ-निपात (particle ‘also/even’)

• विज्ञेयः: is to be regarded/known
• विज्ञेयः: Karta/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; ‘to be known/considered’

• लोचनाभ्याम्: by (his two) eyes
• लोचनाभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; द्विवचन; ‘by/with (two) eyes’

• विवर्जितः: deprived (of)
• विवर्जितः: Karta/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+वृज्/वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; ‘devoid of’

Speaker

Viṣṇu

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: Viṣṇu’s words appear as a moral mirror—pilgrims with open eyes yet veiled inner vision stand before a radiant three-eyed Śiva; the third eye symbolizes true insight.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śiva (Trilocana)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual vision is discernment—without recognizing the kṣetra’s presiding deity, one remains ‘blind’ despite physical sight.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī as the domain of Trilocana (Śiva), where right worship aligns with the kṣetra’s lord.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It implicitly prescribes directing worship in Kāśī to Śiva (Trilocana) rather than to other deities.