Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

निर्विशंति सदा काश्यां फलान्यानंदवंत्यपि । सदैवानंदभूः काशी सदैवानंददः शिवः

Transliteration

nirviśaṃti sadā kāśyāṃ phalānyānaṃdavaṃtyapi | sadaivānaṃdabhūḥ kāśī sadaivānaṃdadaḥ śivaḥ

Translation

In Kāśī, they ever partake of fruits that are themselves filled with bliss. Kāśī is eternally the ground of bliss, and Śiva is eternally the giver of bliss.

Word by Word

• nirviśanti: enter
• nirviśanti: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: viś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural); उपसर्ग: nir-

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक/adverb of time)

• kāśyām: in Kāśī
• kāśyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन (singular)

• phalāni: fruits
• phalāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), बहुवचन (plural)

• ānaṃda-vanti: blissful, full of bliss
• ānaṃda-vanti: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ānanda (प्रातिपदिक) + -vant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण

• api: also, even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle; emphatic/additive)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक)

• eva: indeed, only
• eva: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण/particle of emphasis)

• ānaṃda-bhūḥ: source/ground of bliss
• ānaṃda-bhūḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ānanda (प्रातिपदिक) + bhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण

• kāśī: Kāśī
• kāśī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण)

• ānaṃda-daḥ: giver of bliss
• ānaṃda-daḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ānanda (प्रातिपदिक) + da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण

• śivaḥ: Śiva
• śivaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims in Kāśī partake of fruits glowing with bliss; above them, Śiva’s unseen benediction pervades the city, making the very ground radiant.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s essence is bliss, and that bliss is ultimately Śiva’s grace—spiritual joy is the defining fruit of the sacred city.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī/Vārāṇasī as the eternal ‘Ānanda-bhūmi’ under the lordship of Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it underscores the devotional-theological truth that Śiva bestows ānanda in Kāśī.