Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

स्वर्गापवर्गयोरर्थः कोविदैश्च निरूपितः । स्वर्गः सुखं समुद्दिष्टमपवर्गो महासुखम्

Transliteration

svargāpavargayorarthaḥ kovidaiśca nirūpitaḥ | svargaḥ sukhaṃ samuddiṣṭamapavargo mahāsukham

Translation

Les sages ont clairement établi le sens du ciel et de la délivrance : le ciel n’est que plaisir, tandis que la libération (apavarga) est la béatitude suprême.

Word by Word

• स्वर्गापवर्गयोः: of heaven and liberation
• स्वर्गापवर्गयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अपवर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (itaretara-dvandva)

• अर्थः: meaning
• अर्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• कोविदैः: by the learned
• कोविदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोविद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• निरूपितः: has been defined
• निरूपितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-√रूप् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः (PPP: ‘has been determined/defined’)

• स्वर्गः: heaven
• स्वर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Kriya (Predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (here predicate nominative)

• समुद्दिष्टम्: is declared
• समुद्दिष्टम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-√दिश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि (‘is declared’)

• अपवर्गः: liberation
• अपवर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपवर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महासुखम्: great bliss
• महासुखम्: Kriya (Predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (‘great’ + ‘happiness’)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (context-setting verse)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau in Kāśī: a sage instructs pilgrims on the difference between svarga-sukha and apavarga-mahāsukha, with Viśvanātha’s presence implied and the Gaṅgā flowing nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Svarga
• Apavarga (Mokṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It distinguishes temporary heavenly enjoyment from the unsurpassed bliss of liberation, urging the seeker toward mokṣa rather than mere pleasure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

In this verse the focus is conceptual (svarga vs. apavarga); the surrounding Kāśīkhaṇḍa context leads into the glory of Maṇikarṇikā in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated here; it serves as a doctrinal foundation for the later praise of Kāśī’s liberating tīrthas.