Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

न चित्रमत्र भूदेव भवमाया दुरत्यया । तया संमोहिताः सर्वे नावयंत्यपि तं परम्

Transliteration

na citramatra bhūdeva bhavamāyā duratyayā | tayā saṃmohitāḥ sarve nāvayaṃtyapi taṃ param

Translation

ಹೇ ಭೂದೇವ! ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಆಶ್ಚರ್ಯವೇನಿಲ್ಲ; ಭವ (ಶಿವ)ನ ಮಾಯೆ ದುರತಿಕ್ರಮ್ಯ. ಆ ಮಾಯೆಯಿಂದ ಮೋಹಿತರಾದ ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಆ ಪರಮ ತತ್ತ್ವವನ್ನೂ ತಿಳಿಯಲಾರರು.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• चित्रम्: a wonder
• चित्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); भावे प्रयोगः 'आश्चर्यम्'

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: here)

• भूदेव: O Bhūdeva (O brāhmaṇa)
• भूदेव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः भूः देव इव/देवः (ब्राह्मणः)

• भवमाया: Śiva's māyā
• भवमाया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः भवस्य माया (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• दुरत्यया: hard to overcome
• दुरत्यया: Karta-vishesana (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरत्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः दुर्+अत्यय (hard to cross)

• तया: by that (māyā)
• तया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• संमोहिताः: deluded
• संमोहिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + मुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• अवयन्ति: understand/know
• अवयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद; अर्थः 'अवगच्छन्ति/जानन्ति'

• अपि: even
• अपि: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवाद-अव्यय (even/also)

• तम्: him/that (Supreme)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma-vishesana (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta) as a grace-field to cross māyā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Addressed as ‘bhūdeva’ (divine sage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage is addressed: the world appears veiled by a shimmering curtain (māyā), while beyond it a steady, formless radiance indicates the Supreme; Skanda points toward the unseen reality.

Characters & Entities

• Bhava (Śiva)
• Māyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Delusion is not merely ignorance; it is māyā that veils the Supreme, overcome through grace and right knowledge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly Kāśī, as the chapter’s setting, where teachings on Śiva’s supreme nature are given.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the verse emphasizes inner discernment beyond māyā.