Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

भवो ध्रुवं यदत्रैव मोचयेत्तं निशामय । महत्या योगयुक्त्या वा महादानैरकामिकैः

Transliteration

bhavo dhruvaṃ yadatraiva mocayettaṃ niśāmaya | mahatyā yogayuktyā vā mahādānairakāmikaiḥ

Translation

Écoute : Bhava (Śiva) délivre assurément ici même. Ailleurs, la délivrance ne s’obtient que par une grande discipline du yoga ou par d’immenses dons de charité sans désir.

Word by Word

• भवः: Bhava (Śiva)
• भवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणवत्; नपुंसक-द्वितीया एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययार्थे (certainly)

• यत्: since/that
• यत्: Sambandha (Clause linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः (yad = “since/that” introducing clause)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (only/indeed)

• मोचयेत्: would liberate
• मोचयेत्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + णिच्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोजक; “would/should liberate”

• तम्: him/that (being)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन

• निशामय: note, understand
• निशामय: Kriya (Imperative/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+शम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative); परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष एकवचन; “consider/observe”

• महत्या: by great
• महत्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; योगयुक्त्या विशेषणम्

• योग-युक्त्या: by yogic method
• योग-युक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (योगस्य युक्त्या = by the method of yoga)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Disjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• महादानैः: by great gifts
• महादानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (महद् दानम्)

• अकामिकैः: without selfish desire
• अकामिकैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकामिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया बहुवचन; महादानैः विशेषणम्; “desireless/unselfish”

Speaker

Skanda (continuing instruction to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda emphatically states Śiva’s special liberating power in Avimukta; a vision of Bhava/Śiva blessing souls in Kāśī, while in a side-panel-like contrast yogins practice austerities and donors give vast gifts elsewhere.

Characters & Entities

• Bhava (Śiva)
• Avimukta (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Avimukta is portrayed as a uniquely direct gateway to liberation through Śiva’s grace, while other paths require extraordinary discipline or selfless giving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta-kṣetra in Kāśī, where Bhava (Śiva) is said to liberate certainly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Akāmika mahādāna (great, desireless charity) and yogic discipline are cited as means to liberation elsewhere.