Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

अनाराध्य महेशानमनवाप्य च काशिकाम् । योगाद्युपायविज्ञोपि न निर्वाणमवाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

anārādhya maheśānamanavāpya ca kāśikām | yogādyupāyavijñopi na nirvāṇamavāpnuyāt

Translation

Sans adorer Maheśa et sans parvenir à Kāśikā (Kāśī) elle-même, même celui qui maîtrise le yoga et d’autres moyens n’obtient pas la délivrance ultime.

Word by Word

• अनाराध्य: without worshipping
• अनाराध्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-राध् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्यय-भाव (absolutive/gerund), नञ्-पूर्वक (negated): ‘without worshipping’

• महेशानम्: Mahēśāna (Śiva)
• महेशानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनवाप्य: without attaining
• अनवाप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्यय-भाव (absolutive/gerund), नञ्-पूर्वक (negated): ‘without attaining’

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

• काशिकाम्: Kāśikā (Kāśī)
• काशिकाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• योगादि: yoga and the like
• योगादि: Hetu/Upaya (Means/उपाय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग + आदि (प्रातिपदिक); components: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular) (समासपद as qualifier)

• उपायविज्ञः: one skilled in means
• उपायविज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपाय + विज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक); components: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक) + विज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: concessive/emphatic)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• निर्वाणम्: liberation
• निर्वाणम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अवाप्नुयात्: would attain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśikā (Kāśī/Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A yogin with matted hair and yogic posture stands at the threshold of Kāśī; a luminous Maheśa-liṅga draws him from self-effort into worship; the city’s ghats and spires signify ‘Kāśikā-prāpti’.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Kāśikā (Kāśī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kāśī, liberation is framed as arising from Śiva’s worship and the sanctity of the place, not merely from technical yogic expertise.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśikā/Kāśī (Varanasi), especially as the mokṣa-bestowing sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ārādhana (devotional worship/propitiation) of Maheśa is emphasized; no detailed procedure is specified.