Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

न तथोज्झितदेहयातया मम दक्षोद्भवयामनोऽदुनोत् । अविमुक्तवियोगजन्मनापरि दूयेत यथा महोष्मणा

Transliteration

na tathojjhitadehayātayā mama dakṣodbhavayāmano'dunot | avimuktaviyogajanmanāpari dūyeta yathā mahoṣmaṇā

Translation

ശരീരം വെടിഞ്ഞ ദക്ഷപുത്രിയുടെ (സതി) വിയോഗത്താൽ എന്റെ മനസ്സ് അത്രയധികം വേദനിച്ചില്ല, എന്നാൽ ഇപ്പോൾ അവിമുക്ത (കാശി) ക്ഷേത്രത്തിന്റെ വിയോഗത്താലുണ്ടായ കടുത്ത താപത്താൽ അത് നീറുന്നു.

Word by Word

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

• तथा: so, thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/so’)

• उज्झित-देह-यातया: by the state of having abandoned the body
• उज्झित-देह-यातया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उज्झित (त्यक्त) + देह + यात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (उज्झितः देहः यस्याः सा + यातया ‘गमन/अवस्था’)

• मम: my
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• दक्षोद्भवया: by Dakṣa’s daughter
• दक्षोद्भवया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष + उद्भवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (दक्षात् उद्भवा)

• मानः: pride, self-regard
• मानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अदुनोत्: tormented, pained
• अदुनोत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दु (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: दु (दुनोति = पीडयति)

• अविमुक्त-वियोग-जन्मना: by the separation born of Avimukta (Kāśī)
• अविमुक्त-वियोग-जन्मना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविमुक्त + वियोग + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (अविमुक्तस्य वियोगः तस्मात् जन्म)

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: ‘also/even’)

• दूयेत: would burn/suffer
• दूयेत: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दूय् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; अर्थः ‘दुःखं प्राप्नुयात्/दह्येत’

• यथा: as, just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (as/just as)

• महत्-उष्मणा: by great heat
• महत्-उष्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + उष्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः: कर्मधारय (महान् उष्मा)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s audience within the frame narrative

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva compares two griefs: Satī’s self-immolation grief versus the present scorching separation from Avimukta; the imagery is of being seared on all sides by fierce heat.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Satī
• Dakṣa
• Avimukta (Kāśī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Avimukta (Kāśī) is presented as Śiva’s own unfailing abode; separation from it is depicted as more unbearable than cosmic grief, underscoring its supreme sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta-kṣetra, identified with Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), the ‘never-abandoned’ sacred field of Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse functions as a mahātmya-intensifier by portraying Avimukta as the highest refuge.