Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

सर्वभूतांतरात्माऽयं सर्वेषां सर्वदः सदा । यं विनिद्रा विनिःश्वासाः शांता ध्यानपरायणाः

Transliteration

sarvabhūtāṃtarātmā'yaṃ sarveṣāṃ sarvadaḥ sadā | yaṃ vinidrā viniḥśvāsāḥ śāṃtā dhyānaparāyaṇāḥ

Translation

He is the inner Self of all beings, ever the giver of all to everyone. Him the serene ones—free from sloth and restless breathing—seek, devoted wholly to meditation.

Word by Word

• sarvabhūtāntarātmā: the inner self of all beings
• sarvabhūtāntarātmā: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarvabhūta + antara + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वभूतानाम् अन्तरात्मा = ‘inner self of all beings’)

• ayam: this (he)
• ayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• sarveṣām: of all
• sarveṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनामसदृश-प्रातिपदिक

• sarvadaḥ: giver of all
• sarvadaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + da (प्रातिपदिक; sarva + √dā (धातु) → द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः/बहुव्रीहिसदृश-प्रयोगः (सर्वं ददाति = ‘giver of all’)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• yam: whom
• yam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• vinidrāḥ: sleepless (ones)
• vinidrāḥ: Kartṛ (Subject of implied verb)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinidrā (प्रातिपदिक; vi + nidrā)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (निद्रारहिताः = ‘sleepless’)

• viniḥśvāsāḥ: breath-restrained
• viniḥśvāsāḥ: Kartṛ (Subject of implied verb)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viniḥśvāsa (प्रातिपदिक; vi + niḥ + śvāsa)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (निःश्वासरहिताः/निःश्वास-निग्रहयुक्ताः = ‘with restrained breath’)

• śāntāḥ: calm
• śāntāḥ: Kartṛ (Subject of implied verb)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √śam + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• dhyānaparāyaṇāḥ: intent on meditation
• dhyānaparāyaṇāḥ: Kartṛ (Subject of implied verb)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyāna + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ध्यानं परायणं येषाम् = ‘devoted to meditation’)

Speaker

Hari (Viṣṇu) (continuing stuti)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A meditative scene: serene ascetics on a ghat or in a quiet shrine, breath calm, eyes half-closed, visualizing the Lord in the heart as a small flame or luminous form; the Lord simultaneously depicted as inner light and cosmic giver.

Characters & Entities

• Supreme Lord (addressed deity)
• Meditators/Yogins
• All beings

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine is realized inwardly as the antarātman; tranquility, disciplined breath, and meditation are pathways to that recognition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s greatness is reinforced by presenting its deity as the indwelling Self accessible through contemplative practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditation (dhyāna) and calmness/discipline (including regulated breathing) are indicated as spiritual disciplines.