Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

यतो विश्वेश्वरेणैते तिर्यञ्चोप्यत्रवासिनः । निधनावसरे मोच्यास्तारक स्योपदेशतः

Transliteration

yato viśveśvareṇaite tiryañcopyatravāsinaḥ | nidhanāvasare mocyāstāraka syopadeśataḥ

Translation

For Viśveśvara has ordained that even these animals who reside here shall be liberated at the time of death, through the instruction of the Tāraka—the saving mantra and teaching.

Word by Word

• यतः: because
• यतः: Sambandha (Causal connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/यत्-सम्बन्धी (indeclinable: “because/from which”)

• विश्वेश्वरेण: by Viśveśvara (Śiva)
• विश्वेश्वरेण: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Masculine; Instr sg)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Masculine; Nom pl)

• तिर्यक्: an animal (even)
• तिर्यक्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिर्यक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (Neuter; Nom sg; used collectively: “animal (even)”)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (particle: “even/also”)

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

• वासिनः: dwellers
• वासिनः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन (Masculine; Nom pl; “dwellers”)

• निधनावसरे: at the time of death
• निधनावसरे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधन (प्रातिपदिक) + अवसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन (Masculine; Loc sg); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (at the time of death)

• मोच्याः: are to be liberated
• मोच्याः: Karya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: भाव्य/विधेय-विशेषण; कृदन्त (यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्ययार्थक); प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine; Nom pl; “to be liberated/released”)

• तारकस्य: of the Tāraka (mantra)
• तारकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचन (Masculine; Gen sg)

• उपदेशतः: by instruction/teaching
• उपदेशतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी विभक्ति; एकवचन (Masculine; Abl sg; “from/by means of instruction”)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta/Kāśī (Viśveśvara-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the threshold of death in Kāśī, Viśveśvara (as a radiant presence) whispers the Tāraka teaching into the ear of a dying being; nearby, even an animal lies peacefully, receiving the same grace.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśvara
• Kāśī
• Tāraka (upadeśa/mantra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is portrayed as a liberation-giving field where Śiva’s saving instruction operates even beyond human eligibility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), specifically under the lordship of Viśveśvara, famed for granting liberation at death.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The key salvific element is the Tāraka-upadeśa (saving instruction/mantra) associated with dying in Kāśī under Śiva’s grace.