Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

संविदं तेन यं वेदा विष्णुर्वेद न वै विधिः । यतो वाचो निवर्तंते ह्यप्राप्य मनसा सह

Transliteration

saṃvidaṃ tena yaṃ vedā viṣṇurveda na vai vidhiḥ | yato vāco nivartaṃte hyaprāpya manasā saha

Translation

That consciousness by which the Vedas are known—Viṣṇu knows it, but not even Vidhi (Brahmā). From it, words return, unable to reach it, along with the mind.

Word by Word

• संविदम्: consciousness, awareness
• संविदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संविद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तेन: by him/through that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• यम्: whom/which
• यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक सर्वनाम

• वेदाः: the Vedas
• वेदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वेद: knows
• वेद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/assurance particle)

• विधिः: Brahmā / the ordainer (Vidhi)
• विधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• यतः: from whom/whence
• यतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्यय (relative adverb); ‘यस्मात्’ अर्थे

• वाचः: words, speech
• वाचः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (वाचः = nom. pl.); कर्तृपद

• निवर्तन्ते: return, turn back
• निवर्तन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतु/अवधारण-निपात (particle: for/indeed)

• अप्राप्य: not attaining
• अप्राप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ + प्र + आप् (धातु) → अप्राप्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘अप्राप्य’ = ‘न प्राप्य’

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahartha (Accompaniment/सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-योगे अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages / internal Kāśī audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A hush-filled scene: a sage on a Kāśī ghat with a manuscript of Veda closed, looking inward; above, an ungraspable radiance suggesting the speech-and-mind-transcending reality.

Characters & Entities

• Saṃvid (Consciousness)
• Vedas
• Viṣṇu
• Vidhi (Brahmā)
• Vāk (Speech)
• Manas (Mind)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest truth is beyond conceptual grasp; spiritual realization surpasses speech and thought, encouraging contemplative practice and humility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is named; in the Kāśī setting, such teaching supports Kāśī as a place oriented to direct realization (jñāna) and liberation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a statement on the ineffability of ultimate consciousness.