Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

यावज्जीवं चरंतोपि ब्रह्मचर्य जितेंद्रियाः । निःश्रेयसे श्रयंत्येनां श्रीमतीं मणिकार्णकाम्

Transliteration

yāvajjīvaṃ caraṃtopi brahmacarya jiteṃdriyāḥ | niḥśreyase śrayaṃtyenāṃ śrīmatīṃ maṇikārṇakām

Translation

வாழ்நாள் முழுதும் பிரம்மச்சரியத்தை அனுஷ்டித்து இந்திரியங்களை வென்றவர்களும், பரம நிஃஶ்ரேயஸிற்காக ஸ்ரீமிகு மணிகர்ணிகையைச் சரணடைகின்றனர்।

Word by Word

• यावत्-जीवम्: as long as (one) lives
• यावत्-जीवम्: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय) + जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययार्थे (यावत् = यावदवधि) + द्वितीया-एकवचन (जीवम्) समस्तपदम्; adverbial: 'as long as life'

• चरन्तः: practising
• चरन्तः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ-प्रत्यय) परस्मैपदी; प्रथमा-बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; present active participle: 'practising/observing'

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

• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: celibacy; brahmacarya
• ब्रह्मचर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; object of 'चरन्तः' (to practise)

• जित-इन्द्रियाः: having conquered the senses
• जित-इन्द्रियाः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जि (धातु) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (कर्मधारयवत्) समास: जितानि इन्द्रियाणि येषाम्; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) 'जित' + 'इन्द्रिय'; प्रथमा-बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• निःश्रेयसे: for liberation/highest good
• निःश्रेयसे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निःश्रेयस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; dative: 'for the highest good'

• श्रयन्ति: they resort to
• श्रयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रि (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; 'they resort to'

• एनाम्: her/this (place)
• एनाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; pronoun 'this (her)' referring to Maṇikārṇakā

• श्रीमतीम्: auspicious, glorious
• श्रीमतीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'मणिकार्णकाम्'

• मणिकार्णकाम्: Maṇikārṇakā (holy place)
• मणिकार्णकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणिकार्णका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; proper noun (tīrtha/स्थान)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene ascetic brahmacārin with controlled senses stands at Maṇikarṇikā by the Gaṅgā, offering water and flowers; in the background the ghāṭa steps, lamps, and the subtle presence of Śiva as Avimukteśvara blessing seekers of liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇikarṇikā
• Kāśī (Varanasi)
• Brahmacarya
• Indriya-nigraha (sense-control)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even rigorous discipline finds its consummation in Kāśī’s Maṇikarṇikā, revered as a direct support for niḥśreyasa (supreme good).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The splendid Maṇikarṇikā tīrtha in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Brahmacarya and indriya-jaya (sense-mastery) are highlighted as disciplines aligned with seeking Maṇikarṇikā.