Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

परातनुरियं काशी विश्वेशस्येति निश्चितम् । अस्याः संसेवनाच्छंभुर्न कुप्यति पुरो मयि

Transliteration

parātanuriyaṃ kāśī viśveśasyeti niścitam | asyāḥ saṃsevanācchaṃbhurna kupyati puro mayi

Translation

“This Kāśī is indeed the supreme body of Viśveśvara”—so it is certain. By devoted attendance upon her, Śambhu does not become displeased with me in his presence.

Word by Word

• परातनुः: very ancient
• परातनुः: Karta (कर्ता; predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परातनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (काशी)

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• काशी: Kāśī
• काशी: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विश्वेशस्य: of Viśveśa (Śiva)
• विश्वेशस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-ईश (प्रातिपदिक; components: विश्व + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वस्य ईशः)

• इति: thus
• इति: Discourse marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-निपात (quotative)

• निश्चितम्: is ascertained/decided
• निश्चितम्: Kriya (क्रिया; predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-चि (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे प्रयोगः (‘it is ascertained’)

• अस्याः: of her/of this (Kāśī)
• अस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• संसेवनात्: from serving/attending
• संसेवनात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान; cause ‘from/through service’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्-सेव (धातु) + ल्युट् (प्रत्यय) → संसेवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; क्रियानाम (verbal noun)

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• कुप्यति: becomes angry
• कुप्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कुप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; धातु: √कुप् (to be angry)

• पुरः: in the presence; before
• पुरः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (in the presence of/before)

• मयि: towards me; in my presence
• मयि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण; ‘with respect to me/in my presence’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/सर्वनाम, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; verse reads like Brahmā’s realization within narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta) as Viśveśvara’s parātanu

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary tableau where the map of Kāśī overlays a cosmic Śiva-form: ghāṭas as ornaments, temples as chakras/limbs; Brahmā contemplates this certainty, feeling protected from Śiva’s displeasure through kṣetra-sevā.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Viśveśvara
• Śambhu (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is not merely a city but a divine embodiment of Viśveśvara; serving the kṣetra is itself a way of pleasing Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī as Viśveśvara’s own ‘parā tanu’ (supreme embodiment), encompassing her tīrthas and sacred precincts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Saṃsevanā—devoted resorting to and service of Kāśī (kṣetra-sevā), a devotional discipline rather than a single ritual act.