Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अपावनानि सर्वाणि वह्निसंसर्गतः क्षणात् । पावनानि भवंत्येव तस्माद्यः पावकः स्मृतः

Transliteration

apāvanāni sarvāṇi vahnisaṃsargataḥ kṣaṇāt | pāvanāni bhavaṃtyeva tasmādyaḥ pāvakaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

Toutes les choses impures deviennent pures en un instant par le contact du feu; c’est pourquoi on se souvient de lui comme de “Pāvaka”, le purificateur.

Word by Word

• अपावनानि: impure
• अपावनानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + पावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (neuter, nominative plural)

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (agrees with अपावनानि)

• वह्नि-संसर्गतः: from contact with fire
• वह्नि-संसर्गतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि + संसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (masc., ablative singular; ‘from contact with fire’)

• क्षणात्: in a moment
• क्षणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (ablative singular; ‘in an instant/from a moment’)

• पावनानि: purifying/pure
• पावनानि: Visheshya-predication (Predicate qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (predicate)

• भवन्ति: become
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Reason/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (ablative singular; ‘therefore/from that’)

• यः: which/who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पावकः: the purifier (fire)
• पावकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (name of fire)

• स्मृतः: is called/known
• स्मृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is called/remembered’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Agni (Pāvaka) within Kāśī’s dharma frame

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequence-like tableau: impure objects (soiled cloth, unclean vessel) approach a bright flame and instantly appear radiant and clean; the word ‘PĀVAKA’ glows above the fire.

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Vahni
• Pāvaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Agni is inherently purifying; proximity to sacred fire symbolizes and effects rapid cleansing of impurity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting underlies the teaching, though the verse itself glorifies Agni as a universal purifier.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It implies purification through contact with fire, supporting Agni’s role in rites, offerings, and consecrations.