Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

निर्व्याज प्रणिधानेन शीलयित्वा श्रियःपतिम् । पुरुषोत्तमतां को न प्राप्तवानिह भूतले

Transliteration

nirvyāja praṇidhānena śīlayitvā śriyaḥpatim | puruṣottamatāṃ ko na prāptavāniha bhūtale

Translation

By sincere, guileless dedication, having cultivated devotion to Śriyaḥpati, the Lord of Lakṣmī—who on this earth would not attain the highest excellence of personhood?

Word by Word

• निर्व्याज: without pretense
• निर्व्याज: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-व्याज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (अत्र: निर्व्याजेन इत्यर्थे अव्यक्त-विभक्त्यन्त-लेखनम्); समास: निर् + व्याज (without pretext)

• प्रणिधानेन: by deep attention/dedication
• प्रणिधानेन: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणिधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• शीलयित्वा: having practiced
• शीलयित्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शीलय् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund), धातु: शीलय् (to practice/observe, to cultivate)

• श्रियःपतिम्: the Lord of Shri (Vishnu)
• श्रियःपतिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रियः-पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: श्रियाः पतिः (lord of Śrī)

• पुरुषोत्तमताम्: the state of being the best person/supreme manhood
• पुरुषोत्तमताम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष-उत्तम-ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समास: पुरुषेषु उत्तमः (पुरुषोत्तम) + ता (abstract suffix)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• प्राप्तवान्: has attained
• प्राप्तवान्: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवत् (perfect participle/agentive past), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; धातु: आप् (to obtain) उपसर्ग: प्र-; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (one who has obtained)

• इह: here
• इह: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (here/in this world)

• भूतले: on the earth
• भूतले: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Nārada (continuing speech)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble devotee offers simple flowers and water to Śriyaḥpati; Lakṣmī stands beside Nārāyaṇa; the devotee’s aura subtly brightens, symbolizing attainment of puruṣottamatā.

Characters & Entities

• Śriyaḥpati (Viṣṇu)
• Lakṣmī (Śrī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unpretentious, wholehearted devotion transforms a person into the highest human ideal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse gives a universal bhakti principle within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes nirvyāja praṇidhāna—sincere dedication and steady devotional cultivation of Śriyaḥpati.