Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

कृष्णद्वैपायनोप्येवं शंभो वक्ष्यति नान्यथा । यत्रविश्वेश्वरः साक्षान्मुक्तिस्तत्र पदेपदे

Transliteration

kṛṣṇadvaipāyanopyevaṃ śaṃbho vakṣyati nānyathā | yatraviśveśvaraḥ sākṣānmuktistatra padepade

Translation

Auch Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa), o Śambhu, wird es so und nicht anders verkünden: Wo Viśveśvara leibhaftig gegenwärtig ist, dort ist Befreiung bei jedem Schritt.

Word by Word

• kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyanaḥ: Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)
• kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyanaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + dvaipāyana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (नामविशेषः)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also)

• evam: thus
• evam: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (manner: ‘thus’)

• śaṃbho: O Śambhu
• śaṃbho: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• vakṣyati: will say
• vakṣyati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• anyathā: otherwise
• anyathā: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘otherwise’)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative adverb: ‘where’)

• viśveśvaraḥ: Lord of the universe
• viśveśvaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘viśvasya īśvaraḥ’)

• sākṣāt: directly / manifestly
• sākṣāt: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle/adverb: ‘directly, manifestly’)

• muktiḥ: liberation
• muktiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb: ‘there’)

• pade: in a step/place
• pade: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; ‘in (each) step/place’

• pade: at every step
• pade: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśveśvara (Kāśī)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śambhu (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vyāsa is invoked as an authority while addressing Śambhu; the visual centers on Viśveśvara’s liṅga radiating presence across Kāśī’s lanes—pilgrims walking, each footprint glowing to signify ‘mukti at every step’.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)
• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Viśveśvara
• Mukti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The direct presence of Viśveśvara makes Kāśī uniquely liberating—mukti is said to be available ‘at every step’ there.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, especially as the realm of Viśveśvara (the central Śiva of Vārāṇasī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; it implies the sanctity of walking/pilgrimage within Viśveśvara’s sphere in Kāśī.