Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

काशीं यः सेवते जंतुर्निर्विकल्पेन चेतसा । तमहं हृदये नित्यं धारयामि प्रयत्नतः

Transliteration

kāśīṃ yaḥ sevate jaṃturnirvikalpena cetasā | tamahaṃ hṛdaye nityaṃ dhārayāmi prayatnataḥ

Translation

जो जीव निर्विकल्प, अचल चित्ताने काशीची सेवा करतो, त्याला मी प्रयत्नपूर्वक सदैव हृदयात धारण करतो.

Word by Word

• काशीम्: Kāśī
• काशीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• सेवते: serves/worships
• सेवते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• जन्तुः: a being
• जन्तुः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• निर्विकल्पेन: with undistracted (non-conceptual)
• निर्विकल्पेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; गुणवाचक

• चेतसा: with mind
• चेतसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हृदये: in (my) heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative: always)

• धारयामि: I hold/keep
• धारयामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort
• प्रयत्नतः: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb: with effort)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from first-person devotion-reciprocation motif typical of Śiva’s Kāśī-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kāśī-sevakas and pilgrims

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A focused pilgrim performs simple service at a Kāśī shrine with unwavering gaze; above, Śiva is shown with a heart-lotus containing the devotee—signifying ‘I hold him in my heart’.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Śiva (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Single-pointed devotion to Kāśī draws intimate divine regard—Śiva ‘keeps’ such a devotee in his heart.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), as the focus of steadfast service and contemplation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sevā performed with nirvikalpa-citta (undistracted, resolute mind).