Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

अविमुक्तं परित्यज्य योन्यत्र कुरुते रतिम् । मुक्तिं करतलान्मुक्त्वा सोन्यां सिद्धिं गवेषयेत्

Transliteration

avimuktaṃ parityajya yonyatra kurute ratim | muktiṃ karatalānmuktvā sonyāṃ siddhiṃ gaveṣayet

Translation

Whoever abandons Avimukta and delights elsewhere is like one who lets go of liberation resting in the palm of the hand, only to seek some other attainment.

Word by Word

• अविमुक्तम्: Avimukta (Kāśī)
• अविमुक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avimukta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); क्षेत्र-नाम

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-tyaj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having abandoned'

• योनि: womb, birth-state
• योनि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); अत्र कर्मपदत्वेन (as object)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय

• कुरुते: does, makes
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• रतिम्: delight, attachment
• रतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• करतलात्: from the palm of the hand
• करतलात्: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karatala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• मुक्त्वा: having released/let go
• मुक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), 'having let go/abandoned'

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम-रूप

• अन्याम्: another
• अन्याम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• सिद्धिम्: attainment, success
• सिद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• गवेषयेत्: should seek
• गवेषयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gaveṣ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sage/pilgrim audience (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An allegory: a pilgrim holds a glowing jewel labeled ‘mokṣa’ in his palm while turning away toward glittering but smaller trinkets labeled ‘siddhi’; in the background, Avimukta’s temple spires fade as he walks away.

Characters & Entities

• Avimukta
• Mukti
• Siddhi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Do not trade the direct promise of mokṣa in Avimukta for lesser, worldly or occult attainments elsewhere.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta (Kāśī/Vārāṇasī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical-spiritual exhortation prioritizing mokṣa associated with Avimukta.