Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 110

Devanagari script

पूजयित्वा पशुपतिमुपोषणपरायणाः । पशुपाशैर्न बध्यंते दर्शे विहितपारणाः

Transliteration

pūjayitvā paśupatimupoṣaṇaparāyaṇāḥ | paśupāśairna badhyaṃte darśe vihitapāraṇāḥ

Translation

Those who worship Paśupati and are devoted to fasting are not bound by the bonds that bind creatures. Observing the prescribed breaking of the fast on the new-moon day (darśa), they become free from Paśupati’s fetters.

Word by Word

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Kriya (पूर्वकर्म/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: पूज् (10/चुरादि), अर्थे: पूजने

• पशुपतिम्: Pashupati (Lord of beings)
• पशुपतिम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशुपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समास: पशूनां पतिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• उपोषणपरायणाः: devoted to fasting
• उपोषणपरायणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपोषण + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समास: उपोषणे परायणाः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• पशुपाशैः: by the bonds of beasts (fetters)
• पशुपाशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशुपाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समास: पशोः पाशाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• बध्यन्ते: are bound
• बध्यन्ते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• दर्शे: on the new-moon day (darśa)
• दर्शे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• विहितपारणाः: whose fast-breaking is prescribed
• विहितपारणाः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विहित + पारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समास: विहिता पारणा येषाम् (कर्मधारय; ‘prescribed breaking-of-fast’)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee in Kāśī performs Paśupati-pūjā with bilva leaves and water, having fasted; at amāvāsyā night’s end he performs prescribed pāraṇa, while subtle bonds (pāśa) fall away.

Characters & Entities

• Paśupati
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion to Śiva as Paśupati, joined with disciplined vows, loosens the bonds of worldly bondage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred arena of practice; the verse highlights Paśupati worship rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Fasting (upoṣaṇa) with proper pāraṇa specifically on darśa (new-moon) as prescribed.