Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

पद्भ्यां न पद्यते चान्यदृते भूतेश्वराजिरात् । द्रष्टुं रूपांतरं तस्य वीक्षणेन विचक्षणे

Transliteration

padbhyāṃ na padyate cānyadṛte bhūteśvarājirāt | draṣṭuṃ rūpāṃtaraṃ tasya vīkṣaṇena vicakṣaṇe

Translation

അവൻ തന്റെ പാദങ്ങളാൽ മറ്റെവിടെയും കടക്കുകയില്ല—ഭൂതേശ്വരന്റെ അങ്കണം ഒഴികെ; കൂടാതെ അവന്റെ വിവേകദൃഷ്ടിക്ക് മറ്റൊരു രൂപം കാണാൻ സഹിക്കാനാവില്ല.

Word by Word

• पद्भ्याम्: with (his) two feet
• पद्भ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), द्विवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपातः

• पद्यते: is attained/approached
• पद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपातः (conjunction)

• अन्यत्: anything else
• अन्यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• ऋते: except
• ऋते: Nishedha/Apavada (Exception/अपवाद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: अपवादार्थक-अव्ययम् (except/without), पञ्चम्यर्थे

• भूतेश्वराजिरात्: from the courtyard of Bhūteśvara (Śiva)
• भूतेश्वराजिरात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत-ईश्वर-अजिर (प्रातिपदिक; भूत + ईश्वर + अजिर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘भूतेश्वरस्य अजिरम्’ (भूतेश्वर = शिव)

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive)

• रूपान्तरम्: another form
• रूपान्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप-अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक; रूप + अन्तर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• वीक्षणेन: by seeing/with a glance
• वीक्षणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• विचक्षणे: O discerning one
• विचक्षणे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; विशेषण-रूपेण सम्बोधनम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhūteśvara (Kāśī)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A determined pilgrim walks past worldly attractions and turns only into Bhūteśvara’s courtyard; his gaze refuses other forms, fixing on the liṅga and the temple threshold.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūteśvara (Śiva)
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A perfected devotee’s movement and attention become anchored in Śiva alone.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Bhūteśvara in Kāśī—presented as the devotee’s sole chosen precinct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pilgrimage-like discipline is implied: going to Śiva’s precinct for darśana, avoiding aimless wandering.