Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

त्यजेदश्रेयसो राशिं श्रेयोराशिं च विंदति । तदुत्तरे च चक्रेशो योनिचक्र निवारकः

Transliteration

tyajedaśreyaso rāśiṃ śreyorāśiṃ ca viṃdati | taduttare ca cakreśo yonicakra nivārakaḥ

Translation

मनुष्य अश्रेयाचा राशी त्यागतो आणि श्रेयाचा साठा प्राप्त करतो। त्याच्या उत्तरेस चक्रेश आहे, जो योनि-चक्र (जन्मचक्र) निवारण करणारा आहे।

Word by Word

• त्यजेत्: should abandon
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अश्रेयसः: of what is unbeneficial
• अश्रेयसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• राशिम्: heap/collection
• राशिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• श्रेयः: of what is beneficial
• श्रेयः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• राशिम्: heap/collection
• राशिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• विन्दति: finds/obtains
• विन्दति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तत्: there
• तत्: Adhikarana (Reference/स्थान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे/निपातवत् (adverbial: 'there/that place'); (पाठ: तदुत्तरे)

• उत्तरे: to the north/further on
• उत्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; (तद्+उत्तरे = तदुत्तरे)

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

• चक्रेशः: Cakreśa (Lord of the discus)
• चक्रेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चक्रस्य ईशः)

• योनिचक्र: the yoni-wheel
• योनिचक्र: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (अव्यक्त-पाठ; अपेक्षितम्: योनिचक्र-निवारकः इति समासे पूर्वपदम्); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (योन्याः चक्रम्)

• निवारकः: remover/preventer
• निवारकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि√वृ (धातु) + ण्वुल् (प्रत्यय) → निवारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-ण्वुलन्त (agent noun: 'remover')

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cakreśa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A northward path from the tranquil liṅga leads to Cakreśa: a shrine marked by a subtle wheel (cakra) motif—perhaps carved on the doorway or placed as an emblem. The devotee symbolically drops a bundle of dark stones (aśreyas) and receives a garland/light (śreyas).

Characters & Entities

• Cakreśa
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Yoni-cakra (cycle of rebirth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching Śiva in Kāśī is framed as moral purification—casting off harmful tendencies and moving toward liberation from rebirth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Cakreśa, described as a northern landmark in this Kāśī tīrtha sequence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies pilgrimage progression (going north to Cakreśa) rather than detailing a specific rite.