Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

प्राप्यापि काशीं दुर्बुद्धिर्यो न मां परिसेवते । तस्य हस्तगताप्याशु कैवल्यश्रीः प्रणश्यति

Transliteration

prāpyāpi kāśīṃ durbuddhiryo na māṃ parisevate | tasya hastagatāpyāśu kaivalyaśrīḥ praṇaśyati

Translation

Even after reaching Kāśī, the misguided person who does not serve and worship me—his splendor of absolute liberation, though as if already in hand, quickly slips away.

Word by Word

• prāpya: having obtained
• prāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √āp (धातु) उपसर्ग-प्र + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (absolutive/gerund), ‘having obtained’

• api: even
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘even/also’

• kāśīm: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• kāśīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• durbuddhiḥ: a wicked-minded person
• durbuddhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dur-buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दुष्टा बुद्धिः), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• parisevate: serves, attends upon
• parisevate: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sev (धातु) उपसर्ग-परि
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• hastagatā: come into (his) hand
• hastagatā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hasta-gata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (हस्ते गता), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• api: even
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘even/also’

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• kaivalyaśrīḥ: the glory/prosperity of liberation
• kaivalyaśrīḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaivalya-śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कैवल्यस्य श्रीः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• praṇaśyati: perishes, is lost
• praṇaśyati: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √naś (धातु) उपसर्ग-प्र
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Śiva (as Maheśāna)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim stands within luminous Kāśī yet turns away from Śiva’s shrine; the radiance of ‘kaivalya-śrī’ slips like a falling lotus from his hand, while Viśveśvara’s presence remains steady and compassionate.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Kaivalya
• Śiva (implied by mām)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred geography is not enough by itself; without Śiva-bhakti and service, even Kāśī’s near-at-hand liberation is missed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), shown as offering kaivalya—yet requiring devotion to Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Parisevā (devout service/worship) of Śiva is prescribed as indispensable.