Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

विहाय केशवादन्यं ये सेवंतेल्पमेधसः । संसारचक्रे गहने ते विशंति पुनःपुनः

Transliteration

vihāya keśavādanyaṃ ye sevaṃtelpamedhasaḥ | saṃsāracakre gahane te viśaṃti punaḥpunaḥ

Translation

Délaissant Keśava, ceux dont l’intelligence est faible et qui servent un autre retombent, encore et encore, dans l’épaisse roue du saṃsāra.

Word by Word

• विहाय: having abandoned
• विहाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + हा (धातु) → विहाय (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having abandoned)

• केशवात्: from Keśava (Viṣṇu)
• केशवात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; अपादान (from Keśava)

• अन्यम्: another (deity/thing)
• अन्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘सेवन्ते’ इत्यस्य कर्म

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यः-तद् रचना

• सेवन्ते: serve; worship
• सेवन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• अल्पमेधसः: of little understanding
• अल्पमेधसः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + मेधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (अल्पा मेधा येषाम्) ‘ये’ इति विशेषणम्

• संसारचक्रे: in the wheel of transmigration
• संसारचक्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (संसारस्य चक्रे) अधिकरण

• गहने: dense; hard to cross
• गहने: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; ‘संसारचक्रे’ इति विशेषणम्

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; कर्तृपद

• विशन्ति: enter; fall into
• विशन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + शम्/विश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पुनःपुनः: again and again
• पुनःपुनः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय) + पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्त-क्रियाविशेषणम् (repeatedly)

Speaker

Vyāsa (deduced from immediate narrative context in the same adhyāya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A split scene: on one side, Keśava radiant and calm; on the other, confused worshippers turn away into a dark, thorny wheel-like forest symbolizing saṃsāra-cakra, with repeated paths looping back.

Characters & Entities

• Keśava (Viṣṇu)
• Saṃsāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Lack of discernment in worship leads to continued bondage; steadfast devotion to Keśava is presented as the remedy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Kashi Mahatmya corpus but does not directly glorify a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, right worship/serving Keśava rather than diverting devotion elsewhere.