Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

यथा रत्नं गृहे गुप्तं न कैश्चिज्ज्ञायते परैः । अविमुक्ते तथा लिंगं रत्नभूतं गृहे मम

Transliteration

yathā ratnaṃ gṛhe guptaṃ na kaiścijjñāyate paraiḥ | avimukte tathā liṃgaṃ ratnabhūtaṃ gṛhe mama

Translation

जसे घरात लपविलेले रत्न इतरांना कळत नाही, तसेच अविमुक्तात माझ्याच धामात रत्नासारखे लिंग गुप्त आहे.

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison marker/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक (comparative particle)

• रत्नम्: a jewel
• रत्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• गृहे: in a house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• गुप्तम्: hidden
• गुप्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुप्त (कृदन्त; √गुप् धातु, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

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

• कैश्चित्: by some (people)
• कैश्चित्: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine; generic)

• ज्ञायते: is known
• ज्ञायते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• परैः: by others
• परैः: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• अविमुक्ते: in Avimukta (Kāśī)
• अविमुक्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविमुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter; place-name)

• तथा: so; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Correlation/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तथार्थक (correlative: 'so/likewise')

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• रत्नभूतम्: become a jewel; jewel-like
• रत्नभूतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (कृदन्त; √भू धातु, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• मम: of me; my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), त्रिलिङ्ग (Pronoun)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ratneśa/Ratneśvara Liṅga (within Avimukta)

Type: temple (hidden shrine)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A metaphorical scene: a house with a concealed jewel; mirrored by Avimukta as Śiva’s abode containing a hidden, jewel-like liṅga—hinting at secrecy and discovery.

Characters & Entities

• Avimukta
• Ratneśvara Liṅga
• Śiva (implied by 'My abode' in Kāśī context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The greatest treasures in Kāśī are subtle and inward—recognized through devotion rather than mere publicity or outward display.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta (Kāśī/Vārāṇasī), described as Śiva’s own abode containing the jewel-like Ratneśvara Liṅga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, reverence toward the Avimukta Liṅga (Ratneśvara) is encouraged; no detailed rite is specified in this verse.