Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 180

Devanagari script

तदीशानेवधूतेशो योगज्ञानप्रवर्तकः । तीर्थं चैवावधूतेशं सर्वकल्मषनाशकृत्

Transliteration

tadīśānevadhūteśo yogajñānapravartakaḥ | tīrthaṃ caivāvadhūteśaṃ sarvakalmaṣanāśakṛt

Translation

Au nord-est de ce lieu se tient Avadhūteśa, qui met en mouvement la connaissance du yoga. Là se trouve aussi le Tīrtha d’Avadhūteśa, qui détruit toute souillure.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देशक

• ईशान: Īśāna
• ईशान: Sambandha (Name-element)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (समासपूर्वपद)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अवधूतेशः: Lord of the Avadhūtas (Avadhūteśa)
• अवधूतेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवधूत + ईश (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अवधूतानाम् ईशः)

• योगज्ञानप्रवर्तकः: promoter of yogic knowledge
• योगज्ञानप्रवर्तकः: Karta/Predicate-Noun (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग + ज्ञान + प्रवर्तक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (योगज्ञानस्य प्रवर्तकः)

• तीर्थम्: sacred ford; pilgrimage spot
• तीर्थम्: Karta/Predicate-Noun (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अवधूतेशम्: Avadhūteśa (as object/name)
• अवधूतेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवधूत + ईश (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• सर्वकल्मषनाशकृत्: destroyer of all sins/impurities
• सर्वकल्मषनाशकृत्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + कल्मष + नाश + कृत् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वकल्मषस्य नाशं करोति)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avadhūteśa-tīrtha

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-seeking interlocutor(s)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A northeast-pointing directional vignette: a serene Śiva-liṅga shrine titled Avadhūteśa; nearby a small tīrtha pool/ghāṭa where pilgrims bathe; a yogin sits in meditation, symbolizing yoga-jñāna being ‘set in motion’.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Avadhūteśa
• Avadhūteśa Tīrtha
• Yoga
• Jñāna
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s Śaiva sites are not only for merit but for inner transformation—yoga and liberating knowledge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avadhūteśa and the Avadhūteśa Tīrtha in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pilgrimage to and engagement with the tīrtha (bathing/approaching it in reverence) is implied as a purifier of kalmaṣa.