Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

यत्र क्षेत्रप्रविष्टानां नराणां निश्चितात्मनाम् । न बाधतेऽघनिचयः प्राप्येत च परोवृषः

Transliteration

yatra kṣetrapraviṣṭānāṃ narāṇāṃ niścitātmanām | na bādhate'ghanicayaḥ prāpyeta ca parovṛṣaḥ

Translation

In that sacred field, for men who enter with steadfast resolve, the amassed heap of sins does not afflict them—and the Supreme Bull, Śiva, is attained.

Word by Word

• yatra: where
• yatra: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-देशवाचक (where)

• kṣetra-praviṣṭānām: of those who have entered the sacred field
• kṣetra-praviṣṭānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक) + praviṣṭa (कृदन्त; pra- + √viś विश् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (क्षेत्रे प्रविष्टाः) बहुव्रीहिवत्-प्रयोगः; 'narāṇām' इति विशेषण

• narāṇām: of men
• narāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• niścita-ātmanām: of those whose minds are resolved
• niścita-ātmanām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niścita (कृदन्त; √ci चि + नि- + क्त) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-सामर्थ्ये (निश्चितः आत्मा येषाम्) बहुव्रीह्यर्थक-विशेषण; 'narāṇām' इति विशेषण

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• bādhate: afflicts / troubles
• bādhate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bādh (बाध्)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• agha-nicayaḥ: a mass of sin
• agha-nicayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agha (प्रातिपदिक) + nicaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अघस्य निचयः)

• prāpyeta: may be attained
• prāpyeta: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √āp (आप्) with pra- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः सम्भाव्य (may be attained)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• paraḥ: supreme
• paraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'vṛṣaḥ' इति विशेषण

• vṛṣaḥ: the highest good / Dharma (as 'vṛṣa')
• vṛṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; धर्म/श्रेष्ठत्ववाचक (contextual)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī/Ānandakānana (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The addressed seeker/pilgrim

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim crosses an invisible threshold into the Kāśī-kṣetra; dark smoke-like ‘pāpa’ dissipates behind him while ahead a radiant Śiva appears with Nandi symbolism (bull banner), signifying ‘paro vṛṣaḥ’ attained.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī-kṣetra
• Śiva (Paro Vṛṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s kṣetra-power works for the resolute seeker: sin’s burden loosens and Śiva-realization becomes attainable.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī-kṣetra (Vārāṇasī), especially in connection with Viśveśvara and the Ānandakānana setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Entering the sacred kṣetra with niścaya (firm resolve) is the implied discipline; no separate dāna/snān/japa is specified in this verse.