Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

प्राप्यापि काशीं दुर्बुद्धिर्यो न मां परिसेवते । तस्य हस्तगताप्याशु कैवल्यश्रीः प्रणश्यति

Transliteration

prāpyāpi kāśīṃ durbuddhiryo na māṃ parisevate | tasya hastagatāpyāśu kaivalyaśrīḥ praṇaśyati

Translation

ਕਾਸ਼ੀ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕਰ ਕੇ ਵੀ ਜੋ ਕੁਬੁੱਧੀ ਮਨੁੱਖ ਮੇਰੀ ਸੇਵਾ-ਭਜਨ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਰਦਾ, ਉਸ ਦੀ ਕੈਵਲ੍ਯ-ਮੁਕਤੀ ਦੀ ਸ਼੍ਰੀ, ਹੱਥ ਵਿਚ ਆਈ ਹੋਈ ਜਾਪੇ ਤਾਂ ਵੀ, ਛੇਤੀ ਹੀ ਨਾਸ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• prāpya: having obtained
• prāpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √āp (धातु) उपसर्ग-प्र + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (absolutive/gerund), ‘having obtained’

• api: even
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘even/also’

• kāśīm: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• kāśīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• durbuddhiḥ: a wicked-minded person
• durbuddhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dur-buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दुष्टा बुद्धिः), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• parisevate: serves, attends upon
• parisevate: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sev (धातु) उपसर्ग-परि
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• hastagatā: come into (his) hand
• hastagatā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hasta-gata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (हस्ते गता), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• api: even
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘even/also’

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• kaivalyaśrīḥ: the glory/prosperity of liberation
• kaivalyaśrīḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaivalya-śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कैवल्यस्य श्रीः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• praṇaśyati: perishes, is lost
• praṇaśyati: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √naś (धातु) उपसर्ग-प्र
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Śiva (as Maheśāna)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim stands within luminous Kāśī yet turns away from Śiva’s shrine; the radiance of ‘kaivalya-śrī’ slips like a falling lotus from his hand, while Viśveśvara’s presence remains steady and compassionate.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Kaivalya
• Śiva (implied by mām)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred geography is not enough by itself; without Śiva-bhakti and service, even Kāśī’s near-at-hand liberation is missed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), shown as offering kaivalya—yet requiring devotion to Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Parisevā (devout service/worship) of Śiva is prescribed as indispensable.