Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

देवत्वादशुभं किंचिद्देवलोके न विद्यते । दृष्ट्वापि सर्वदेवेशं यन्मुक्तिं न लभामहे

Transliteration

devatvādaśubhaṃ kiṃciddevaloke na vidyate | dṛṣṭvāpi sarvadeveśaṃ yanmuktiṃ na labhāmahe

Translation

Dans le monde des dieux, du fait de leur divinité, rien d’inauspice n’existe. Et pourtant, même après avoir vu le Seigneur de tous les dieux, nous n’obtenons pas la délivrance : telle est notre douleur.

Word by Word

• devatvāt: from godhood, due to being a god
• devatvāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• aśubham: inauspiciousness, evil
• aśubham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र ‘किंचित्’ इति विशेष्य

• kiṃcit: anything, something
• kiṃcit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-परिमाण (indefinite)

• devaloke: in the world of the gods
• devaloke: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devaloka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: देवानां लोकः; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• vidyate: exists, is found
• vidyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु) (विद्-ज्ञाने)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + ktvā
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययभाव (gerund): having seen

• api: even (though)
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (concessive particle: even though)

• sarvadeveśam: Lord of all gods
• sarvadeveśam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: सर्वेषां देवानाम् ईशः; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• muktim: liberation
• muktim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• labhāmahe: we obtain
• labhāmahe: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Devas (reflecting on the rarity of mokṣa even among celestials)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī / Avimukta (continuing Śiva-darśana)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame listener(s)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Celestial beings confess: ‘In devaloka nothing inauspicious exists, yet after seeing the Lord of all gods we still do not gain liberation—this is our grief’; their luminous forms are shaded by existential sorrow before Śiva’s calm presence.

Characters & Entities

• Sarvadeveśa (Śiva)
• Devaloka
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even refined heavenly existence is not the final aim; liberation is distinct and requires deeper grace and realization.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied liberating field in Kāśīkhaṇḍa, where Śiva’s presence is central to mokṣa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it underscores the priority of seeking mukti rather than merely auspicious states.