Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

समाश्रितानां जंतूनां सर्वेषां सर्वकर्मणाम् । शलभानां प्रदीपाभे तमःस्तोम महाद्विपि

Transliteration

samāśritānāṃ jaṃtūnāṃ sarveṣāṃ sarvakarmaṇām | śalabhānāṃ pradīpābhe tamaḥstoma mahādvipi

Translation

ഏതു ജീവികളും—ഏതു കർമങ്ങളിൽ ഏർപ്പെട്ടവരായാലും—അവിടെ ശരണം പ്രാപിച്ചാൽ, അവിമുക്തം ശലഭങ്ങൾക്ക് ദീപംപോലെ; അന്ധകാരക്കൂട്ടങ്ങളെ ചവിട്ടിമെതിക്കുന്ന മഹാഗജംപോലെയും ആകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• समाश्रितानाम्: of those who have taken refuge
• समाश्रितानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√śri (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; ‘of those who have resorted to’

• जन्तूनाम्: of creatures
• जन्तूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jantu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• सर्वकर्मणाम्: of all actions
• सर्वकर्मणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘सर्वाणि कर्माणि’

• शलभानाम्: of moths/locusts
• शलभानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śalabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• प्रदीपाभे: in the lamp-like glow
• प्रदीपाभे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pradīpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘प्रदीपस्य आभा/आभः’ (lamp-like radiance; here as locus)

• तमःस्तोम: O mass of darkness
• तमःस्तोम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक) + stoma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘तमसः स्तोमः’ (mass of darkness)

• महाद्विपि: O great elephant
• महाद्विपि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + dvipin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘महांश्चासौ द्विपी’ (great elephant)

Speaker

Garga

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Damanā and disciples

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Allegorical tableau: Avimukta as a radiant lamp drawing moth-like beings; simultaneously a majestic elephant trampling a dark, smoky mass labeled ‘tamas’; pilgrims move from shadow into light along ghāṭas.

Characters & Entities

• Avimukta (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Taking refuge in Avimukta transforms even diverse lives and karmas, as the kṣetra powerfully dispels spiritual ignorance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta-kṣetra in Kāśī (Varanasi), implied by the immediately preceding verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the emphasis is on śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge) in the sacred kṣetra.