Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

आदेहपतनं यावद्योविमुक्तं न मुंचति । न केवलं ब्रह्महत्या प्रकृतिश्च निवर्तते

Transliteration

ādehapatanaṃ yāvadyovimuktaṃ na muṃcati | na kevalaṃ brahmahatyā prakṛtiśca nivartate

Translation

He who does not abandon Avimukta until the fall of the body—not only is brahmahatyā removed, but even his ingrained nature of bondage turns back.

Word by Word

• आदेहपतनम्: until the fall of the body (until death)
• आदेहपतनम्: Kala-adhikarana (Temporal limit/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-देह-पतन (प्रातिपदिक); देह (प्रातिपदिक) + पतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्ययत्वेन कालावधि-अर्थे (up to the fall of the body)

• यावत्: as long as; until
• यावत्: Kala (Temporal marker/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालपरिमाण/अवधि-सूचक (as long as/until)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• अविमुक्तम्: Avimukta (the sacred place)
• अविमुक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविमुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (स्थाननाम)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• मुंचति: abandons; leaves
• मुंचति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• केवलम्: only; merely
• केवलम्: Visheshana (Adverbial qualifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन/क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्यय (adverb: only/merely)

• ब्रह्महत्या: brahmahatyā sin
• ब्रह्महत्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्महत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रकृतिः: one's innate nature/condition
• प्रकृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• निवर्तते: ceases; turns back
• निवर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim resolves to remain in Avimukta for life; behind him, the personified Brahmahatyā dissolves; deeper still, a serpent-like coil symbolizing ‘prakṛti/saṃskāra’ unwinds and retreats, indicating reversal of ingrained bondage.

Characters & Entities

• Avimukta (Kāśī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unbroken refuge in Avimukta is said to cleanse not only specific sins but the deeper tendency toward bondage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta-kṣetra (Kāśī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Do not leave Avimukta; remain there up to death (ādehapatana).