Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

भूर्भुवःस्वस्तले यानि शुभान्यायतनानि हि । मुक्तिदान्यपि तानीह मयानीतानि सर्वतः

Transliteration

bhūrbhuvaḥsvastale yāni śubhānyāyatanāni hi | muktidānyapi tānīha mayānītāni sarvataḥ

Translation

భూలోక, భువర్లోక, స్వర్గలోకాలలో ఉన్న శుభమైన ఆలయాలు—ముక్తిని ప్రసాదించేవి కూడా—అన్నిటినీ నేను అన్ని దిక్కుల నుంచీ ఇక్కడికి తెచ్చాను।

Word by Word

• भूर्भुवःस्वस्तले: in the plane of Bhūr, Bhuvaḥ, and Svaḥ (the three worlds)
• भूर्भुवःस्वस्तले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूः-भुवः-स्वः-तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (भूर्भुवःस्वः इति लोकत्रयस्य तलम्)

• यानि: which (things)
• यानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• शुभानि: auspicious
• शुभानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• आयतनानि: abodes/shrines
• आयतनानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — emphasis/assurance

• मुक्तिदानि: granting liberation
• मुक्तिदानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति-दानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (मुक्तिं ददाति इति)

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

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta/Agent (Doer in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• आनीतानि: brought
• आनीतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + नी (धातु) → आनीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) — 'brought'

• सर्वतः: from everywhere / on all sides
• सर्वतः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सर्वदिक्/परितः-अर्थे क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Nandī (continuation of address to Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta) as Sarva-āyatana-sanniveśa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic map where diverse sanctuaries from earth, mid-space, and heaven appear as miniature shrines converging into Kāśī; Nandī presenting them as gathered offerings to Viśveśvara.

Characters & Entities

• Nandī
• Śiva (implied)
• Kāśī (implied ‘here’)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is presented as a spiritual microcosm—where the merit of many sacred places is concentrated for seekers of liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, implied as the ‘here’ where all auspicious āyatanas are gathered.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; the verse emphasizes the unique concentration of muktidāyaka sanctuaries within Kāśī.