Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

क्षेत्रसिद्धिं समीहंते ये चात्र कृतिनो जनाः । यावज्जीवं न तैस्त्याज्या सुधीभिर्मणिकर्णिका

Transliteration

kṣetrasiddhiṃ samīhaṃte ye cātra kṛtino janāḥ | yāvajjīvaṃ na taistyājyā sudhībhirmaṇikarṇikā

Translation

Those of merit who seek the spiritual fulfillment granted by this sacred Field—by the wise, Manikarṇikā must not be abandoned for as long as life endures.

Word by Word

• क्षेत्रसिद्धिम्: attainment/perfection of the kṣetra
• क्षेत्रसिद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (क्षेत्रस्य सिद्धिः)

• समीहन्ते: strive for
• समीहन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+ईह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक

• कृतिनः: virtuous, meritorious
• कृतिनः: Karta (Agent-qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• यावत्-जीवम्: as long as one lives
• यावत्-जीवम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; अव्ययत्वेन कालपरिमाणवाचक (as long as life lasts)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• त्याज्या: should be abandoned
• त्याज्या: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्याज्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; त्यज् धातोः)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम्; भाव्य/अर्हार्थक (gerundive: 'to be abandoned')

• सुधीभिः: by the wise
• सुधीभिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; (सुधी = सु + धी)

• मणिकर्णिका: Maṇikarṇikā (sacred place)
• मणिकर्णिका: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणिकर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wise sādhaka sits near Maṇikarṇikā, with cremation fires in the distance and pilgrims performing ablutions; the mood is resolute and liberation-oriented, emphasizing non-abandonment of the tīrtha.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Maṇikarṇikā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

For seekers of Kṣetra-siddhi, steadfast residence/association with Manikarṇikā is praised as a lifelong commitment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Maṇikarṇikā in Kāśī, renowned as a supremely potent sacred locus.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prescriptive counsel: the wise should not give up Manikarṇikā throughout life.