Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

विशालाक्ष्या महासौधे मम विश्रामभूमिका । तत्र संसृतिखिन्नानां विश्रामं श्राणयाम्यहम्

Transliteration

viśālākṣyā mahāsaudhe mama viśrāmabhūmikā | tatra saṃsṛtikhinnānāṃ viśrāmaṃ śrāṇayāmyaham

Translation

Im großen Palast der Viśālākṣī ist Meine Ruhestätte; dort gewähre Ich den vom Saṃsāra Ermüdeten Erholung.

Word by Word

• विशालाक्ष्याः: of the wide-eyed (goddess)
• विशालाक्ष्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाल-अक्षी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (विशालाक्षी यस्याः सा—विशालाक्षी)

• महासौधे: in the great mansion/palace
• महासौधे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-सौध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् सौधः)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• विश्रामभूमिका: a resting-place/ground of repose
• विश्रामभूमिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्राम-भूमिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्रामस्य भूमिका)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• संसृतिखिन्नानाम्: of those wearied by saṃsāra
• संसृतिखिन्नानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Beneficiary)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसृति-खिन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (संसृत्या खिन्नाः)

• विश्रामम्: rest
• विश्रामम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• श्राणयामि: I cause (them) to rest / I grant rest
• श्राणयामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्राणय् (धातु; णिच् causative of √श्रण/श्रन् ‘to rest/relieve’, as in text)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśālākṣī (Kāśī)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhavānī/Devī (implied continuity)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside Viśālākṣī’s grand palace-temple: the goddess with wide compassionate eyes; nearby a serene resting alcove associated with Śiva; weary pilgrims lay down burdens symbolically (broken chains, discarded masks), receiving calm and blessing.

Characters & Entities

• Viśālākṣī
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Saṃsāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is praised as a refuge where the saṃsāra-weary receive deep relief through the combined sanctity of Śiva and Śakti.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The mahāsaudha (great palace/temple precinct) of Viśālākṣī in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse highlights the spiritual fruit of approaching this Viśālākṣī-associated sacred place—viśrāma (repose) from saṃsāra.