Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

श्रद्धालवे विनीताय त्रिकालज्ञानचक्षुषे । शिवभक्ताय शांताय वक्तव्यं च मुमुक्षवे

Transliteration

śraddhālave vinītāya trikālajñānacakṣuṣe | śivabhaktāya śāṃtāya vaktavyaṃ ca mumukṣave

Translation

परंतु हा उपदेश श्रद्धावान व विनीत व्यक्तीस, त्रिकाल-ज्ञानाने प्रकाशित दृष्टी असणाऱ्यास, शिवभक्त, शांत स्वभावाच्या आणि मोक्षाची इच्छा धरणाऱ्या मुमुक्षूस सांगावा.

Word by Word

• श्रद्धालवे: to the faithful
• श्रद्धालवे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धालु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — masculine, dative, singular

• विनीताय: to the well-disciplined
• विनीताय: Sampradana (Recipient qualifier/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+नी (धातु) → विनीत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन — past participle used adjectivally; ‘to the disciplined’

• त्रिकालज्ञानचक्षुषे: to one whose eye is knowledge of the three times
• त्रिकालज्ञानचक्षुषे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि-काल-ज्ञान-चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + काल + ज्ञान + चक्षुस्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — neuter, dative, singular

• शिवभक्ताय: to a devotee of Shiva
• शिवभक्ताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-भक्त (प्रातिपदिक; शिव + भक्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — masculine, dative, singular

• शान्ताय: to the calm one
• शान्ताय: Sampradana (Recipient qualifier/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from शम्)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त (past participial adjective), पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन — ‘to the peaceful’

• वक्तव्यम्: should be told
• वक्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → वक्तव्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘should be spoken’

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

• मुमुक्षवे: to the seeker of liberation
• मुमुक्षवे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुमुक्षु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — masculine, dative, singular

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene disciple with folded hands receives instruction; symbols of the three times (sun, moon, stars or three clocks) illuminate the disciple’s ‘knowledge-eye’; Śiva’s emblem (liṅga or trident) signifies devotion; atmosphere of calm aspiration for mokṣa.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Agastya
• Mumukṣu (seeker of liberation)
• Avimukta-kṣetra (Kāśī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual truths bear fruit in qualified hearts—faith, humility, Śiva-bhakti, peace, and mokṣa-intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta-kṣetra in Kāśī, whose greatness is to be shared with sincere seekers.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A transmission guideline: teach the rahasya only to qualified devotees and liberation-seekers.