Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

यन्न देवा विजानंति मनो यत्रापि कुंठितम् । न यत्र वाक्प्रसरति नमस्तस्मै चिदात्मने

Transliteration

yanna devā vijānaṃti mano yatrāpi kuṃṭhitam | na yatra vākprasarati namastasmai cidātmane

Translation

ദേവന്മാർക്കും പൂർണ്ണമായി അറിയാനാകാത്തതും, മനസ്സും അവിടെ തടഞ്ഞുനിൽക്കുന്നതും, വാക്ക് എത്താത്തതുമായ ആ ചിദാത്മാവിന് നമസ്കാരം.

Word by Word

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (यत्-सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation particle)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (देव-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विजानन्ति: know
• विजानन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√jñā (ज्ञा-धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• मनः: the mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (मनस्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (यत्र-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (relative adverb): 'where'

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अपि-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): 'also/even'

• कुण्ठितम्: is checked/obstructed
• कुण्ठितम्: Karta-dharma (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kuṇṭhita (कुण्ठित-प्रातिपदिक; √kuṇṭh/kuṇṭh? past passive participle sense)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मनः इति विशेषण

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation particle)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (यत्र-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (relative adverb): 'where'

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (वाच्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रसरति: proceeds/extends
• प्रसरति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√sṛ (सृ-धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation/प्रणाम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (नमस्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपातवत् प्रयोग (indeclinable salutation), चतुर्थी-योग्य

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• चिदात्मने: to the consciousness-self
• चिदात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cit + ātman (चित्-प्रातिपदिक + आत्मन्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भाव: 'चिदेव आत्मा' (consciousness-self)

Speaker

Devas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative tableau: devas bow, while behind Brahmā an ineffable void-like radiance expands; the mind and speech are symbolized as halted—closed lips, stilled gestures.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Cidātman (Conscious Self)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ultimate reality exceeds intellect and language; realization is approached through reverent humility and inner contemplation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is theological; its placement is within Kāśī-khaṇḍa but it does not name a specific tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it supports meditative reverence toward the Conscious Self.