Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

विपन्नो यत्र वै जंतुः प्राप्यापि शवतां स्फुटम् । न पूतिगंधमाप्नो ति समुच्छ्रयति न क्वचित्

Transliteration

vipanno yatra vai jaṃtuḥ prāpyāpi śavatāṃ sphuṭam | na pūtigaṃdhamāpno ti samucchrayati na kvacit

Translation

En ce lieu, même lorsqu’un être meurt et devient manifestement un cadavre, il ne prend pas d’odeur fétide, et ne se corrompt ni ne gonfle nulle part.

Word by Word

• विपन्नः: fallen into misfortune, dead
• विपन्नः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + पद् (धातु) → विपन्न (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (जन्तुः)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-सम्बन्ध (relative adverb: where)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/प्रसिद्ध्यर्थक (emphatic particle)

• जन्तुः: creature, being
• जन्तुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) → प्राप्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्/तुमुनर्थे absolutive)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/ल्यप्), पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having reached/obtained)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (even/also)

• शवताम्: of corpses
• शवताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्फुटम्: clearly
• स्फुटम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्फुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: clearly/manifestly)

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• पूतिगन्धम्: foul smell
• पूतिगन्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूति + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पूतिः गन्धः)

• आप्नोति: attains, gets
• आप्नोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• समुच्छ्रयति: rises up, accumulates
• समुच्छ्रयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उत् + श्रि (धातु) (उच्छ्रयति)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• क्वचित्: anywhere, at any time
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक (indefinite adverb: anywhere/ever)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī-khaṇḍa discourse, often Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avantī/Ujjayinī (Mahākālapurī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A quiet cremation-ground edge or deathbed scene within the sacred city: a body lies serene, uncorrupted, surrounded by calm devotees and Śaiva symbols; the air is fragrant, not foul; a subtle divine light indicates sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Avantī/Ujjayinī (implied context)
• Mahākāla (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha’s sanctity is portrayed as overpowering impurity, symbolizing liberation from sin and decay.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding verses point to Avantī/Ujjayinī, the Mahākāla kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a māhātmya-style description of the kṣetra’s extraordinary purity.