Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

स्वसेवितारं पुरुषं प्रणयेद्यः परंपदम् । अतस्तप्रणवं शांतं प्रत्यक्षीकृतवान्विधिः

Transliteration

svasevitāraṃ puruṣaṃ praṇayedyaḥ paraṃpadam | atastapraṇavaṃ śāṃtaṃ pratyakṣīkṛtavānvidhiḥ

Translation

തന്നെ സേവിക്കുന്ന ജീവനെ പരമപദത്തിലേക്ക് നയിക്കുന്നവൻ ആ പുരുഷൻ തന്നെയാണ്. അതുകൊണ്ട് വിധാതാവായ ബ്രഹ്മാവ് ആ ശാന്ത പ്രണവത്തെ പ്രത്യക്ഷമായി അനുഭവിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• sva-sevitāram: one’s own worshipped/served one
• sva-sevitāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + sevitṛ (सेव् धातु → सेवितृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'स्वेन सेवितारम्' = 'one who is served by oneself'

• puruṣam: the Person (Puruṣa)
• puruṣam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• praṇayet: may lead
• praṇayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + nī (नी धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'lead/conduct'

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• parama-padam: to the supreme state/abode
• parama-padam: Karma (Goal/object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama + pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—'परमं पदम्'

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Sambandha (Causal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थे 'therefore'

• tat-praṇavam: that Praṇava (Oṃ)
• tat-praṇavam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + praṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'तं प्रणवम्'

• śāntam: peaceful
• śāntam: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (प्रातिपदिक; √śam शम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) 'शान्त' = 'pacified/peaceful'

• pratyakṣī-kṛtavān: made manifest/realized directly
• pratyakṣī-kṛtavān: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati + akṣi + kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्तवतु (perfect participle active), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'made (it) directly perceptible/realized'

• vidhiḥ: Vidhi (Brahmā)
• vidhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ब्रह्मणः नाम

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Liberation-seeking audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā realizes the tranquil Praṇava as a serene, personified presence—half abstract (Oṃ glyph) and half divine form—guiding a humble devotee (sevaka) upward toward a radiant ‘paramapada’ realm above Kāśī’s skyline.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Vidhi)
• Praṇava (Oṃ)
• Puruṣa (Supreme Person)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme guides the devoted to the highest state; Praṇava is presented as a peaceful, realizable liberating principle.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, as the Skanda Purana’s pre-eminent mokṣa-kṣetra where liberating knowledge and mantra are emphasized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied practice of devotion/service (sevā) and contemplative realization of Praṇava.