Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

स्वसेवितारं पुरुषं प्रणयेद्यः परंपदम् । अतस्तप्रणवं शांतं प्रत्यक्षीकृतवान्विधिः

Transliteration

svasevitāraṃ puruṣaṃ praṇayedyaḥ paraṃpadam | atastapraṇavaṃ śāṃtaṃ pratyakṣīkṛtavānvidhiḥ

Translation

Aquel que conduce al alma servidora, devota, al estado supremo, ése es el Puruṣa. Por ello Brahmā (Vidhi) hizo directamente manifiesto, en su realización, ese Praṇava apacible.

Word by Word

• sva-sevitāram: one’s own worshipped/served one
• sva-sevitāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + sevitṛ (सेव् धातु → सेवितृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'स्वेन सेवितारम्' = 'one who is served by oneself'

• puruṣam: the Person (Puruṣa)
• puruṣam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• praṇayet: may lead
• praṇayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + nī (नी धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'lead/conduct'

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• parama-padam: to the supreme state/abode
• parama-padam: Karma (Goal/object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama + pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—'परमं पदम्'

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Sambandha (Causal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थे 'therefore'

• tat-praṇavam: that Praṇava (Oṃ)
• tat-praṇavam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + praṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'तं प्रणवम्'

• śāntam: peaceful
• śāntam: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (प्रातिपदिक; √śam शम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) 'शान्त' = 'pacified/peaceful'

• pratyakṣī-kṛtavān: made manifest/realized directly
• pratyakṣī-kṛtavān: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati + akṣi + kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्तवतु (perfect participle active), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'made (it) directly perceptible/realized'

• vidhiḥ: Vidhi (Brahmā)
• vidhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ब्रह्मणः नाम

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Liberation-seeking audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā realizes the tranquil Praṇava as a serene, personified presence—half abstract (Oṃ glyph) and half divine form—guiding a humble devotee (sevaka) upward toward a radiant ‘paramapada’ realm above Kāśī’s skyline.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Vidhi)
• Praṇava (Oṃ)
• Puruṣa (Supreme Person)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme guides the devoted to the highest state; Praṇava is presented as a peaceful, realizable liberating principle.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, as the Skanda Purana’s pre-eminent mokṣa-kṣetra where liberating knowledge and mantra are emphasized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied practice of devotion/service (sevā) and contemplative realization of Praṇava.