Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

कृत्वा पापसह्स्राणि पिशाचत्वं वरंत्विह । न तु क्रतुशतप्राप्यः स्वर्गः काशीपुरीं विना

Transliteration

kṛtvā pāpasahsrāṇi piśācatvaṃ varaṃtviha | na tu kratuśataprāpyaḥ svargaḥ kāśīpurīṃ vinā

Translation

వెయ్యి పాపాలు చేసినా ఇక్కడ పిశాచత్వమే మేలైనది; ఎందుకంటే వంద క్రతువుల ఫలమైన స్వర్గమూ కాశీపురి లేక నిజంగా లభించదు.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier of main action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: कृ; अर्थे: पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having done)

• पापसहस्राणि: thousands of sins
• पापसहस्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पापानां सहस्राणि = thousands of sins)

• पिशाचत्वम्: state of being a piśāca (ghoul)
• पिशाचत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाचत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वरम्: better
• वरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (श्रेष्ठम्)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विभेदार्थक (but/indeed)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

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

• तु: however
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विशेषार्थक/विरोधार्थक

• क्रतुशतप्राप्यः: obtainable by a hundred sacrifices
• क्रतुशतप्राप्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of svargaḥ/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राप्य (कृदन्त, √आप्/प्राप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (क्रतुशतेन प्राप्यः = attainable by a hundred sacrifices); प्राप्य = यत्-प्रत्ययान्त भावे/योग्यतायाम् (fit to be obtained)

• स्वर्गः: heaven
• स्वर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• काशीपुरीम्: the city of Kāśī
• काशीपुरीम्: Apādāna (Ablative sense with vinā/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशीपुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (काशी एव पुरी)

• विना: without
• विना: Apādāna-nibandhana (Marker of separation/अपादान-उपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपपद (postposition) अपादानार्थक (without)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśīpurī / Avimukta-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau contrasting a grand Vedic sacrifice (yajña-śālā, priests, fire altars) with the luminous skyline of Kāśī—Viśveśvara’s temple spire and Gaṅgā ghāṭas—implying Kāśī’s higher salvific value.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Kāśīpuri
• Svarga
• Piśāca

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s spiritual status is portrayed as surpassing even the heavenly reward of many sacrifices; the text elevates sacred geography (kṣetra-māhātmya) as a direct path to the highest good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśīpuri—Vārāṇasī, especially the Avimukta Kṣetra revered as Śiva’s liberating realm.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse contrasts the merit of visiting/attaining Kāśī with the merit of performing many Vedic sacrifices.