Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

अज्ञानध्वांतपटलीं हरतस्तौ समर्चितौ । तद्दक्षिणेध्वकेशश्च दृष्टो मोहविनाशनः

Transliteration

ajñānadhvāṃtapaṭalīṃ haratastau samarcitau | taddakṣiṇedhvakeśaśca dṛṣṭo mohavināśanaḥ

Translation

Those two are duly worshipped, for they dispel the dense darkness of ignorance. To the south of that is Dhvakeśa, whose very sight destroys delusion.

Word by Word

• ajñāna: ignorance
• ajñāna: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• dhvāṃta: darkness
• dhvāṃta: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhvāṃta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• paṭalīm: mass/veil (of darkness)
• paṭalīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṭalī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्

• harataḥ: (they) remove
• harataḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमा (3rd person/प्रथमपुरुष), द्विवचनम्

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचनम्

• samarcitau: well-worshipped
• samarcitau: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-arc (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्तः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचनम्; विशेषणम् (tau)

• tat: of that
• tat: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचनम्; (tasya)

• dakṣiṇe: to the south
• dakṣiṇe: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचनम्; स्थानवाचक (to the south)

• dhvakeśaḥ: Dhvakeśa
• dhvakeśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhvaka (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुषः; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; नाम

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• dṛṣṭaḥ: is seen/was seen
• dṛṣṭaḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्तः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः ‘is seen/was seen’ (finite sense)

• moha: delusion
• moha: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: moha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• vināśanaḥ: destroyer
• vināśanaḥ: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (dhvakeśaḥ)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Saṃvarteśa and Śveteśa; Dhvakeśa (south)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two adjacent liṅga shrines glow in lamplight as a veil of darkness lifts symbolically; a third shrine to the south (Dhvakeśa) is approached by a pilgrim whose face shifts from confusion to calm insight.

Characters & Entities

• Dhvakeśa
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s tīrthas in Kāśī are praised not only for worldly merit but for inner transformation—removing ignorance and delusion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dhvakeśa liṅga, described as a destroyer of delusion by mere darśana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Worship (samarcana) and darśana are implied as the means by which ignorance and delusion are dispelled.