Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

वानप्रस्थाश्रमयुजो ज्ञात्वा निर्वाणसाधनम् । सन्नियम्येंद्रियग्रामं मणिकर्णीमुपासते

Transliteration

vānaprasthāśramayujo jñātvā nirvāṇasādhanam | sanniyamyeṃdriyagrāmaṃ maṇikarṇīmupāsate

Translation

വാനപ്രസ്ഥാശ്രമത്തിലുള്ളവർ അവളെ നിർവാണസാധനമെന്നു അറിഞ്ഞ് ഇന്ദ്രിയസമൂഹത്തെ ദൃഢമായി നിയന്ത്രിച്ച് മണികർണിയെ ഉപാസിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• वानप्रस्थ-आश्रम-युजः: vānaprasthas (forest-dwellers)
• वानप्रस्थ-आश्रम-युजः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानप्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + युज् (धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: वानप्रस्थ-आश्रम-युजः; कृदन्त (क्विप्/शतृ-आधारित 'युज्' = युक्त/सम्बद्ध) प्रातिपदिकवत्; प्रथमा-बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; 'those joined to the vānaprastha-āśrama'

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); 'having known'

• निर्वाण-साधनम्: means to liberation
• निर्वाण-साधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: निर्वाणस्य साधनम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सन्नियम्य: having restrained
• सन्नियम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); उपसर्ग: सम् + नि; 'having fully restrained'

• इन्द्रिय-ग्रामम्: the group of senses
• इन्द्रिय-ग्रामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: इन्द्रियाणां ग्रामः; पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मणिकर्णीम्: Maṇikarṇī (Maṇikarṇikā)
• मणिकर्णीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणिकर्णी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; proper noun (Maṇikarṇī/ Maṇikarṇikā)

• उपासते: they worship
• उपासते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; 'they worship/attend upon'

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇī/Maṇikarṇikā

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A forest-dwelling vānaprastha with matted hair and simple garments sits on the ghāṭa steps, eyes lowered in meditation, hands in japa; the Gaṅgā flows quietly, with a small Śiva-liṅga shrine nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇikarṇikā (Maṇikarṇī)
• Kāśī (Varanasi)
• Vānaprastha
• Nirvāṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

With maturity and restraint, the seeker recognizes Maṇikarṇikā as a direct aid to nirvāṇa and practices devoted worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Maṇikarṇikā (here called Maṇikarṇī) in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upāsanā (reverential worship) supported by disciplined restraint of the senses.