Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मादिस्तंबपर्यंतं यावद्देहनिबंधनम् । आत्मैवैकेश्वरस्तत्र न द्वितीयस्तदीशिता

Transliteration

brahmādistaṃbaparyaṃtaṃ yāvaddehanibaṃdhanam | ātmaivaikeśvarastatra na dvitīyastadīśitā

Translation

ബ്രഹ്മാവിൽ നിന്ന് പുല്ലുതുമ്പുവരെ, ദേഹബന്ധനം നിലനിൽക്കുന്നിടത്തോളം—അവിടെ ആത്മാവേ ഏകേശ്വരൻ; അതിനപ്പുറം രണ്ടാമൻ അധിപതി ഇല്ല.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मादि-स्तम्ब-पर्यन्तम्: up to (the range) from Brahmā to a blade/pillar
• ब्रह्मादि-स्तम्ब-पर्यन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तम्ब (प्रातिपदिक) + पर्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मादेः स्तम्बपर्यन्तम् = from Brahmā etc. up to a clump of grass/pillar)

• यावत्: as far as / until
• यावत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-सूचक (until/as far as)

• देह-निबन्धनम्: bondage connected with the body
• देह-निबन्धनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक) + निबन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देहस्य निबन्धनम् = bondage/attachment to body)

• आत्मा: the Self
• आत्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• एक-ईश्वरः: the one Lord
• एक-ईश्वरः: Predicate (Vidheyātmaka/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (एकः ईश्वरः = the sole lord)

• तत्र: there/in that (domain)
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/प्रसङ्ग-सूचक (locative adverb: ‘there/in that context’)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• द्वितीयः: a second (one)
• द्वितीयः: Predicate (Vidheyātmaka/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्-ईशिता: its lordship/sovereignty
• तत्-ईशिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ईशिता (प्रातिपदिक; abstract noun)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य ईशिता = its rulership/sovereignty)

Speaker

Puṇyakīrti (deduced continuation of speech)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis / seekers

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic vertical panorama from Brahmā’s lotus-seat down to grass blades, all pervaded by a single luminous Self/Śiva-light, indicating one ruler within all.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It asserts a non-dual vision: ultimate sovereignty belongs to the Self, and liberation comes through seeing beyond bodily identification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, Kāśī is the implied sacred ground where such liberation-teachings are emphasized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is metaphysical instruction rather than ritual guidance.