Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

भूर्भुवःस्वः प्रदेशेषु काशीपरमपावनम् । तत्रापि हरिणाज्ञायि तीर्थं पंचनदं परम्

Transliteration

bhūrbhuvaḥsvaḥ pradeśeṣu kāśīparamapāvanam | tatrāpi hariṇājñāyi tīrthaṃ paṃcanadaṃ param

Translation

Entre todas as regiões de Bhūr, Bhuvaḥ e Svaḥ, Kāśī é a mais purificadora; e mesmo em Kāśī, por decreto de Hari (Viṣṇu), o Tīrtha transcendente chamado Pañcanada é o mais elevado.

Word by Word

• भूः: earth (Bhū-loka)
• भूः: Adhikarana (Locative domain/अधिकरण-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भुवः: atmosphere (Bhuvar-loka)
• भुवः: Adhikarana (Locative domain/अधिकरण-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (वैदिक/त्रिलोकी-नाम)

• स्वः: heaven (Svar-loka)
• स्वः: Adhikarana (Locative domain/अधिकरण-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (वैदिक/त्रिलोकी-नाम)

• प्रदेशेषु: in the regions
• प्रदेशेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• काशी-परम-पावनम्: the supremely purifying (place) Kāśī
• काशी-परम-पावनम्: Karma/Predicate nominal (Object/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक) + परम (प्रातिपदिक) + पावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (काश्याः परमं पावनम्)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle: also/even)

• हरिणा: by Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिणा: Karana (Instrument/Agentive instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• आज्ञायि: in (his) command/at the behest
• आज्ञायि: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘आज्ञायाम्’ इत्यर्थे (locative: in/under the command)

• तीर्थम्: a sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma/Predicate nominal (Object/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• पञ्चनदम्: (the place called) Pañcanada
• पञ्चनदम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + नद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगुसमास (पञ्च नद्यः यस्मिन्/यत्र)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Agastya (questioning/introducing the topic to Skanda in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pañcanada-tīrtha (Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic sacred map-vision: the three worlds symbolically arrayed, with Kāśī glowing at the center; within it, a luminous river-ford labeled Pañcanada, sanctified by Viṣṇu’s command, while pilgrims bathe and sages recite.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Pañcanada Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is celebrated as the supreme purifier of the worlds, and within it certain tīrthas—like Pañcanada—are singled out as especially potent by divine ordinance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Pañcanada Tīrtha within Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), praised as a highest tīrtha in the sacred geography of Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated here; the verse establishes hierarchy and sanctity, implying pilgrimage and reverent approach to Pañcanada.