Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

अविमुक्तं न मोक्तव्यं सर्वथैव मुमुक्षुभिः । किंतु विघ्ना भविष्यंति काश्यां निवसतां सताम्

Transliteration

avimuktaṃ na moktavyaṃ sarvathaiva mumukṣubhiḥ | kiṃtu vighnā bhaviṣyaṃti kāśyāṃ nivasatāṃ satām

Translation

മോക്ഷം ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവർ അവിമുക്തം (കാശി) ഒരിക്കലും ഉപേക്ഷിക്കരുത്; എങ്കിലും കാശിയിൽ വസിക്കുന്ന സജ്ജനർക്കു വിഘ്നങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ടാകും.

Word by Word

• अविमुक्तम्: Avimukta (Kāśī)
• अविमुक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ (नञ्) + वि-मुक्त (मुच् धातु + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक विशेषनाम (Avimukta, Kāśī)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• मोक्तव्यम्: to be abandoned
• मोक्तव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: to be abandoned)

• सर्वथा: in every way
• सर्वथा: Modifier (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (in every way)

• एव: indeed, certainly
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• मुमुक्षुभिः: by seekers of liberation
• मुमुक्षुभिः: Kartr (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + सन् (इच्छार्थक) → मुमुक्षु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सन्-प्रत्ययान्त इच्छार्थक कृदन्त (desirous of liberation)

• किंतु: but, however
• किंतु: Connector (विरोध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंतु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोधार्थक अव्यय (but/however)

• विघ्नाः: obstacles
• विघ्नाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• भविष्यन्ति: will be/arise
• भविष्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• निवसताम्: of those who dwell
• निवसताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि-वस् (धातु) + शतृ (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (of those dwelling)

• सताम्: of the good (people)
• सताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (अस् धातु से शतृ/सत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सत् = साधु/सज्जन (good people)

Speaker

Unnamed sage (context: speaking to Lopāmudrā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A determined pilgrim-sādhaka at Kāśī’s ghats, facing symbolic obstacles—storm, crowds, illness, temptations—yet continuing worship toward Viśveśvara; Avimukta appears as a luminous protective mandala around the city core.

Characters & Entities

• Avimukta
• Kāśī
• Mumukṣu
• Vighna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation-seekers should hold fast to Avimukta (Kāśī) despite trials; obstacles do not negate the dhāma’s saving power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta within Kāśī (Varanasi), the supreme Śaiva liberation-field.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prescriptive injunction is given: mumukṣus should not leave Avimukta; no specific dāna/snān/japa is stated in this verse.