Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

विश्वेशो मुक्तिदो नित्यं मुक्त्यै चोत्तरवाहिनी । आनंदकानने मुक्तिर्मुक्तिर्नान्यत्र कुत्रचित्

Transliteration

viśveśo muktido nityaṃ muktyai cottaravāhinī | ānaṃdakānane muktirmuktirnānyatra kutracit

Translation

വിശ്വേശ്വരൻ നിത്യം മോക്ഷദാതാവാണ്; ഉത്തരവാഹിനി (ഗംഗ)യും മോക്ഷത്തിനായി തന്നെ. ആനന്ദകാനനത്തിൽ മാത്രമേ മോക്ഷം ഉള്ളൂ—മറ്റെവിടെയും ഇല്ല.

Word by Word

• विश्वेशः: Viśveśa (Lord of the universe)
• विश्वेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विश्वस्य ईशः) (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• मुक्तिदः: giver of liberation
• मुक्तिदः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मुक्तिं ददाति इति) (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणवत्; नित्य-भाव (adverbial: always)

• मुक्त्यै: for liberation
• मुक्त्यै: Sampradāna (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन (Feminine, Dative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• उत्तरवाहिनी: the north-flowing (river, i.e., Gaṅgā)
• उत्तरवाहिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर + वाहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (उत्तरं वहति इति) (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• आनंदकानने: in the forest of bliss (Ānandakānana)
• आनंदकानने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द + कानन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आनन्दस्य काननम्) (Neuter, Locative, Singular)

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-बल (repetition for emphasis)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: elsewhere)

• कुत्रचित्: anywhere (at all)
• कुत्रचित्: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुत्रचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अनिश्चित-प्रश्नार्थक/निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indefinite adverb: anywhere)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandakānana (within Kāśī/Avimukta) and Uttaravāhinī Gaṅgā

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viśveśvara’s shrine radiates above the ghāṭs; Gaṅgā curves in a northward bend; Ānandakānana appears as a lush sacred grove with lamps and devotees—liberation depicted as a beam of light descending upon the pilgrim within this triad.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśa (Śiva)
• Uttaravāhinī Gaṅgā
• Ānandakānana
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation is especially tied to Kāśī through Viśveśa and the sacred Gaṅgā; Ānandakānana is celebrated as the unique mokṣa-seat.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ānandakānana in Kāśī, along with Viśveśvara and the uttaravāhinī Gaṅgā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the verse identifies the liberating agencies—Viśveśa and the Gaṅgā in Kāśī.