Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

अनन्यसाधनां मुक्तिं ज्ञात्वा शास्त्रैरनेकधा । मुमुक्षुभिस्त्वेकदंडैः सेव्यते मणिकर्णिका

Transliteration

ananyasādhanāṃ muktiṃ jñātvā śāstrairanekadhā | mumukṣubhistvekadaṃḍaiḥ sevyate maṇikarṇikā

Translation

Knowing from the scriptures in many ways that liberation is attained through her as an unrivaled means, seekers of release—bearing the single staff—serve Maṇikarṇikā.

Word by Word

• अनन्य-साधनाम्: having no other means (exclusive)
• अनन्य-साधनाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: अनन्यं साधनं यस्याः सा; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective of 'मुक्तिम्'

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); 'having known'

• शास्त्रैः: by the scriptures
• शास्त्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrumental: 'by/through scriptures'

• अनेकधा: in many ways
• अनेकधा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb); 'in many ways'

• मुमुक्षुभिः: by seekers of liberation
• मुमुक्षुभिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: इच्छार्थक कृदन्त (सन्/उणादि-आधारित) 'मुमुक्षु' = मोक्तुमिच्छु; पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; agent-instrumental with passive

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; contrast/emphasis

• एक-दण्डैः: by the single-staff ascetics
• एक-दण्डैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (संख्या) + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास: एकः दण्डः (एकदण्ड) ; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; 'by the ekadaṇḍins'

• सेव्यते: is served/worshipped
• सेव्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): 'is served/worshipped'

• मणिकर्णिका: Maṇikarṇikā
• मणिकर्णिका: Karman (Patient as subject/कर्म-प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणिकर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; subject of passive

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An eka-daṇḍī sannyāsin with a single staff stands at Maṇikarṇikā, offering silent reverence; behind him, palm-leaf manuscripts symbolize śāstra testimony; the ghāṭa and river glow with a metaphysical aura.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇikarṇikā
• Kāśī (Varanasi)
• Śāstra
• Mumukṣu
• Ekadaṇḍin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

For the mumukṣu, Maṇikarṇikā is proclaimed as a uniquely potent support for liberation, validated by scripture.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Maṇikarṇikā in Kāśī, especially revered by renunciant seekers.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sevā/upāsanā of Maṇikarṇikā by ekadaṇḍin renunciants (a marker of the sannyāsa path).