Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

आत्मज्ञानेन मुक्तिः स्यात्तच्च योगादृते नहि । स च योगश्चिरं कालमभ्यासादेव सिध्यति

Transliteration

ātmajñānena muktiḥ syāttacca yogādṛte nahi | sa ca yogaściraṃ kālamabhyāsādeva sidhyati

Translation

ആത്മജ്ഞാനത്തിലൂടെ മോക്ഷം ലഭിക്കുന്നു; എന്നാൽ ആ ജ്ഞാനം യോഗമില്ലാതെ ഉണ്ടാകില്ല. ആ യോഗം ദീർഘകാല അഭ്യാസത്തിലൂടെയേ സിദ്ധിയാകൂ.

Word by Word

• आत्मज्ञानेन: by knowledge of the Self
• आत्मज्ञानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—आत्मनः ज्ञानम् (ātma-jñāna)

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्यात्: may be / would occur
• स्यात्: Verb (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Anaphoric reference (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूप

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• योगात्: from yoga / without yoga (in contrast)
• योगात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• ऋते: without / except
• ऋते: Exclusion marker (वर्जन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: अपवाद/वर्जनार्थक-अव्यय (preposition-like: ‘without’), पञ्चम्यर्थे

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

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थ

• सः: that (yoga)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूप

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• योगः: yoga
• योगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Adverbial modifier (काल-क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-रूप)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• कालम्: time (duration)
• कालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) / Duration (कालाधिकरण-प्राय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कालावधि-निर्देशे

• अभ्यासात्: from practice / by practice
• अभ्यासात्: Apadana (Cause-source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• एव: only / indeed
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• सिध्यति: is accomplished / succeeds
• सिध्यति: Verb (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सिध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim-seekers / Ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A seeker in Kāśī practicing meditation over seasons—same ghat, changing light—signifying long practice; subtle overlay of inner light dawning as knowledge matures through yoga.

Characters & Entities

• Ātmajñāna
• Yoga
• Mukti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mokṣa depends on Self-knowledge, and Self-knowledge is stabilized through yoga matured by sustained practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is the setting of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, where teachings emphasize inner realization alongside sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is abhyāsa—consistent, long-term yogic practice—rather than a specific external ritual.