Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

धर्मपीठं तदुद्दिष्टमत्रानंदवने मम । तत्पीठदर्शनादेव नरः पापैः प्रमुच्यते

Transliteration

dharmapīṭhaṃ taduddiṣṭamatrānaṃdavane mama | tatpīṭhadarśanādeva naraḥ pāpaiḥ pramucyate

Translation

Jener heilige Sitz der Dharma ist hier in meinem Ānandavana (Kāśī) bezeichnet. Schon durch das bloße Darśana dieses Sitzes wird der Mensch von Sünden befreit.

Word by Word

• धर्मपीठम्: the seat of dharma
• धर्मपीठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्मस्य पीठम्)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उद्दिष्टम्: designated/pointed out
• उद्दिष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + √दिश् (धातु) (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक: क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• आनन्दवने: in the forest of Ānanda
• आनन्दवने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (आनन्दस्य वनम्)

• मम: my
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्पीठदर्शनात्: from seeing that seat
• तत्पीठदर्शनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पीठ (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (तत्-पीठस्य दर्शनम्; तस्मात्)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• पापैः: from sins (by sins as that which is left)
• पापैः: Apadana (Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• प्रमुच्यते: is released
• प्रमुच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharma-pīṭha in Ānandavana (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A goddess/consort addressed as ‘Viśālākṣi’ (wide-eyed one)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sanctified seat or pedestal marked as ‘Dharma-pīṭha’ within the luminous grove of Ānandavana; pilgrims approach with folded hands while subtle Śaiva iconography (trident, bilva, rudrākṣa) frames the sacred space.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmapīṭha
• Ānandavana
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sacred geography is intrinsically purifying; even simple darśana of a dharma-sthāna grants release from sin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dharmapīṭha located in Ānandavana, the sanctified grove of Kāśī (Vārāṇasī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed—only darśana (reverent viewing/visiting) of the Dharmapīṭha is stated as efficacious.