Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

वाराणस्यां महादेवं समभ्यर्च्य सकृन्नरः । आभूतसंप्लवं यावच्छिवलोके वसेन्मुदा

Transliteration

vārāṇasyāṃ mahādevaṃ samabhyarcya sakṛnnaraḥ | ābhūtasaṃplavaṃ yāvacchivaloke vasenmudā

Translation

വാരാണസിയിൽ മഹാദേവനെ ഒരിക്കൽ പോലും യഥാവിധി ആരാധിച്ചവൻ, ഭൂതസമ്പ്ലവം വരെയും ആനന്ദത്തോടെ ശിവലോകത്തിൽ വസിക്കും.

Word by Word

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva
• महादेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—महान् + देवः

• समभ्यर्च्य: having duly worshipped
• समभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अभि + अर्च् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/absolutive), ‘having worshipped’

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/आवृत्तिवाचक (adverb: once)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आभूतसंप्लवम्: up to the cosmic dissolution
• आभूतसंप्लवम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time limit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ + भूत + संप्लव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—आ (अव्यय, ‘up to’) + भूतसंप्लव (प्रलय)

• यावत्: until
• यावत्: Avadhi (Limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधिवाचक (until/as long as)

• शिवलोके: in Śiva’s world
• शिवलोके: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—शिवस्य लोकः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• वसेत्: may dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Kriya-visheshana (Manner/भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक—‘with joy’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa context, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) Mahādeva-arcana

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee offers bilva leaves and water to a Kāśī-liṅga; above, Śivaloka is depicted as a luminous realm with Śiva’s presence, suggesting the devotee’s destined ascent lasting until pralaya.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī
• Mahādeva
• Śiva-loka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a single sincere act of worship in Kāśī yields extraordinarily enduring spiritual reward due to the kṣetra’s unique potency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī), as the place where worship of Mahādeva grants residence in Śiva-loka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Samabhyarcana—formal worship/arcana of Mahādeva (Liṅga worship) in Kāśī, even if performed once.