Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

कृत्वाप्यघानामिह यः सहस्रं धर्मेश्वरं पश्यति दैवयोगात् । सहेतनो जातु स नारकीं व्यथां कथां तदीयां दिविकुर्वतेमराः

Transliteration

kṛtvāpyaghānāmiha yaḥ sahasraṃ dharmeśvaraṃ paśyati daivayogāt | sahetano jātu sa nārakīṃ vyathāṃ kathāṃ tadīyāṃ divikurvatemarāḥ

Translation

Even if one has committed thousands of sins, if by divine providence he beholds Dharmeśvara, he will never undergo the torments of hell; indeed, the gods in heaven celebrate even the account of that Lord.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund: having done/committed)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (even/also)

• अघानाम्: of sins
• अघानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति; बहुवचन; (genitive plural: of sins)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here/in this world)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; (accusative of measure/number)

• धर्मेश्वरम्: Dharmeśvara
• धर्मेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन

• पश्यति: sees
• पश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान/Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दैवयोगात्: by divine dispensation
• दैवयोगात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (दैवेन योगः/दैवस्य योगः); पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी विभक्ति; एकवचन; (ablative: due to divine conjunction/fate)

• सहेतनः: with cause/for a reason
• सहेतनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + हेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (सः हेतनः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; (having a cause/with reason)

• जातु: ever
• जातु: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जातु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (ever/at any time)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

• नारकीम्: hellish
• नारकीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; (accusative singular; qualifying व्यथाम्)

• व्यथाम्: pain/torment
• व्यथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन

• कथाम्: even the mention/story
• कथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; (apposition to व्यथाम्: 'a tale/mention')

• तदीयाम्: of that
• तदीयाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तदीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; (qualifying कथाम्: of that/thereof)

• दिवि: in heaven
• दिवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन; (locative: in heaven)

• कुर्वते: make/do
• कुर्वते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (they do/make)

• अमराः: the gods
• अमराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन

Speaker

Śiva (deduced, addressing Dharma)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmeśvara (liṅga)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dharma (Dharmarāja)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A burdened sinner is led by providence to behold Dharmeśvara; the shadow of hell recedes, while devas in heaven rejoice and narrate the Lord’s glory.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmeśvara
• Amarāḥ (gods)
• Naraka (hell, concept)
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharmeśvara’s darśana is portrayed as a powerful purifier that nullifies even heavy sin and averts hellish suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sacred presence of Dharmeśvara in Kāśī (and its associated tīrtha-context in this adhyāya).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana of Dharmeśvara is emphasized; no additional rite is required in this verse beyond the providential encounter.