Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

यस्य दर्शनमात्रेण पूतात्मा जायते नरः । पापकंचुकमुत्सृज्य स वसेत्पावने पुरे

Transliteration

yasya darśanamātreṇa pūtātmā jāyate naraḥ | pāpakaṃcukamutsṛjya sa vasetpāvane pure

Translation

ਜਿਸ ਦੇ ਕੇਵਲ ਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਨਾਲ ਹੀ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਦੀ ਆਤਮਾ ਸ਼ੁੱਧ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਹੈ। ਪਾਪ ਦਾ ਚੋਗਾ ਉਤਾਰ ਕੇ, ਉਹ ਪਾਵਨ (ਪਵਿਤ੍ਰ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲੇ) ਦੇ ਨਗਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਵੱਸੇ।

Word by Word

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• दर्शनमात्रेण: by mere seeing
• दर्शनमात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: darśana-mātra (प्रातिपदिक; दर्शन + मात्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (‘दर्शनस्य मात्रम्’)

• पूतात्मा: pure-souled
• पूतात्मा: Visheshya-predicate (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūta-ātman (प्रातिपदिक; पूत + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणरूपेण (नरस्य)

• जायते: becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; √जन् (to be born/become)

• नरः: a man/person
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• पापकंचुकम्: the cloak of sin
• पापकंचुकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa-kaṃcuka (प्रातिपदिक; पाप + कंचुक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (‘पापस्य कंचुकम्’ = sinful cloak)

• उत्सृज्य: having cast off
• उत्सृज्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-sṛj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): ‘उत्सृज्य’ = ‘उत्सर्जनं कृत्वा’; √सृज् (to release/abandon) उपसर्गः उत्-

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• वसेत्: should dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; √वस् (to dwell)

• पावने: in the purifying (place)
• पावने: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (पुरे)

• पुरे: in the city
• पुरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Narrator voice within Kāśīkhaṇḍa (deduced as Skanda)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pavaneśvara

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim approaches Pavaneśvara; upon darśana, a dark ‘cloak’ symbolizing sin falls away, revealing a luminous, calm countenance; the lanes of Kāśī and a small shrine frame the transformation.

Characters & Entities

• Pavaneśvara
• Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)
• Pāvana-purī (purifying city)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Darśana of the Kāśī-liṅga is itself purificatory; liberation begins by shedding sin through contact with the sacred presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Pavaneśvara in Kāśī/Vārāṇasī, praised as a purifier whose darśana cleanses the soul.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (visiting/seeing the deity) and residing in the holy city are implied as observances.