Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

पुर्यश्चापि समाख्यातानृतजंतु विमुक्तिदा । कैवल्यसाधनानीह भवंत्येव विनिश्चितम्

Transliteration

puryaścāpi samākhyātānṛtajaṃtu vimuktidā | kaivalyasādhanānīha bhavaṃtyeva viniścitam

Translation

また、身を受けた衆生を解き放つと説き示された聖なる都々は、まさしくこの世におけるカイヴァリヤ（絶対自由）への手段である—これは確定している。

Word by Word

• पुर्यः: cities (sacred cities)
• पुर्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (and)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे (also/even)

• समाख्याताः: are called/known as
• समाख्याताः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + ख्या (धातु) → समाख्यात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुर्यः इति)

• नृतजन्तु: the dancing creature (i.e., man)
• नृतजन्तु: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नृतस्य जन्तुः)

• विमुक्तिदाः: granting liberation
• विमुक्तिदाः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (धातु) → द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (विमुक्तिं ददाति इति) विशेषणम् (पुर्यः)

• कैवल्यसाधनानि: means to absolute liberation
• कैवल्यसाधनानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैवल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कैवल्यस्य साधनानि)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक (here, in this context)

• भवन्ति: are/become
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

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

• विनिश्चितम्: certainly, decisively
• विनिश्चितम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + नि + चि (धातु) → विनिश्चित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; वाक्ये क्रियाविशेषणवत् (certainly/decidedly)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Purī-network (with Kāśī implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic ‘map’ of sacred cities as luminous nodes, with Kāśī shining prominently; pilgrims and sages move between them, symbolizing embodied beings seeking release.

Characters & Entities

• Kaivalya
• Purī (sacred cities)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holy cities are not merely geographic locations; they function as established spiritual means leading beings toward final liberation (kaivalya).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The statement is general about ‘purīs’, but it is framed within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, implying Kāśī as the paradigmatic liberation-giving city.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single rite is prescribed here; the verse asserts the soteriological efficacy of pilgrimage/city-dwelling in celebrated holy cities.