Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

विपन्नानां च जंतूनां दातुं नैःश्रेयसीं श्रियम् । सर्वेषामिह संस्थानां क्षेत्रं चैवाभिरक्षितुम्

Transliteration

vipannānāṃ ca jaṃtūnāṃ dātuṃ naiḥśreyasīṃ śriyam | sarveṣāmiha saṃsthānāṃ kṣetraṃ caivābhirakṣitum

Translation

To grant distressed beings the supreme, liberating splendor of fortune (naiḥśreyasī śrī), and to safeguard this sacred kṣetra for all who abide here.

Word by Word

• विपन्नानाम्: of the distressed
• विपन्नानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-√पद् (धातु) + विपन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; क्त)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (सामान्य), षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (‘fallen into distress’) — ‘जन्तूनाम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (and)

• जन्तूनाम्: of beings, creatures
• जन्तूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• दातुम्: to give
• दातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive); ‘to give’

• नैःश्रेयसीम्: supremely beneficial
• नैःश्रेयसीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निःश्रेयसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘leading to highest good’ — ‘श्रियम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• श्रियम्: prosperity, fortune
• श्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• इह: here
• इह: Desha (Location/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: here)

• संस्थानाम्: of institutions/establishments
• संस्थानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred field/region
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle: indeed/just)

• अभिरक्षितुम्: to protect
• अभिरक्षितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive); ‘to protect/guard’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly (typical frame; not stated in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva’s protective presence over Kāśī: distressed beings approaching the kṣetra, receiving peace and uplift; the kṣetra depicted as a luminous mandala with ghats and shrines.

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetra (sacred field)
• Beings (jaṃtus)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true kṣetra exists for upliftment—protecting seekers and granting the highest welfare that culminates in liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises the protective and liberating function of the Kāśī/Avimukta sacred field in this narrative context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is given; the emphasis is on the kṣetra’s salvific protection and grace.