Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

निर्व्याज प्रणिधानेन शीलयित्वा श्रियःपतिम् । पुरुषोत्तमतां को न प्राप्तवानिह भूतले

Transliteration

nirvyāja praṇidhānena śīlayitvā śriyaḥpatim | puruṣottamatāṃ ko na prāptavāniha bhūtale

Translation

നിർവ്യാജമായ നിഷ്കപട സമർപ്പണത്തോടെ ശ്രീയഃപതിയെ സേവിച്ചു ഭജിച്ചാൽ, ഈ ഭൂതലത്തിൽ ആര് പുരുഷോത്തമത്വം പ്രാപിക്കാതിരിക്കും?

Word by Word

• निर्व्याज: without pretense
• निर्व्याज: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-व्याज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (अत्र: निर्व्याजेन इत्यर्थे अव्यक्त-विभक्त्यन्त-लेखनम्); समास: निर् + व्याज (without pretext)

• प्रणिधानेन: by deep attention/dedication
• प्रणिधानेन: Karana (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणिधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• शीलयित्वा: having practiced
• शीलयित्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शीलय् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund), धातु: शीलय् (to practice/observe, to cultivate)

• श्रियःपतिम्: the Lord of Shri (Vishnu)
• श्रियःपतिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रियः-पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: श्रियाः पतिः (lord of Śrī)

• पुरुषोत्तमताम्: the state of being the best person/supreme manhood
• पुरुषोत्तमताम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष-उत्तम-ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समास: पुरुषेषु उत्तमः (पुरुषोत्तम) + ता (abstract suffix)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

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

• प्राप्तवान्: has attained
• प्राप्तवान्: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवत् (perfect participle/agentive past), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; धातु: आप् (to obtain) उपसर्ग: प्र-; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (one who has obtained)

• इह: here
• इह: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (here/in this world)

• भूतले: on the earth
• भूतले: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Nārada (continuing speech)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble devotee offers simple flowers and water to Śriyaḥpati; Lakṣmī stands beside Nārāyaṇa; the devotee’s aura subtly brightens, symbolizing attainment of puruṣottamatā.

Characters & Entities

• Śriyaḥpati (Viṣṇu)
• Lakṣmī (Śrī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unpretentious, wholehearted devotion transforms a person into the highest human ideal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse gives a universal bhakti principle within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes nirvyāja praṇidhāna—sincere dedication and steady devotional cultivation of Śriyaḥpati.