Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

सर्वकामफलप्राप्तिस्तदैव स्याद्ध्रुवं नृणाम् । यदैव सर्वदः सर्वः काश्यां विश्वेश्वरः श्रितः

Transliteration

sarvakāmaphalaprāptistadaiva syāddhruvaṃ nṛṇām | yadaiva sarvadaḥ sarvaḥ kāśyāṃ viśveśvaraḥ śritaḥ

Translation

Then surely, at that very time, people attain the fruits of all desires—when they take refuge in Viśveśvara in Kāśī, who is the giver of all and the all-in-all.

Word by Word

• सर्वकामफलप्राप्तिः: attainment of all desired fruits
• सर्वकामफलप्राप्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-काम-फल-प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + काम + फल + प्राप्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वकामफलस्य प्राप्तिः)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• स्यात्: would be / should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययवत् (adverbial accusative)

• नृणाम्: of men/people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (Clause linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-सम्बन्धबोधक (relative temporal adverb: 'when')

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• सर्वदः: giver of all (boons)
• सर्वदः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वद (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सर्वः/विश्वेश्वरः); समासः उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वं ददाति इति)

• सर्वः: the all (Lord) / the one who is all
• सर्वः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• विश्वेश्वरः: Viśveśvara (Lord of the universe)
• विश्वेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; विश्व + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वस्य ईश्वरः)

• श्रितः: has taken abode / is resorted (dwells)
• श्रितः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रि (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्तः भूतकृत् (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अर्थः—आश्रितः/निविष्टः (having resorted/dwelling)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative convention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśveśvara in Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside the sanctum’s aura: the Viśveśvara liṅga radiates; devotees offer bilva and water; from the liṅga emanate four streams symbolizing fulfillment of all aims; the city’s spiritual ‘axis mundi’ is felt.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Viśveśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) in Viśveśvara in Kāśī is presented as a sure source of both worldly fruits and ultimate welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), specifically the presence of Viśveśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Taking refuge (śaraṇāgati) in Viśveśvara—implying devotion, worship, and darśana in Kāśī.