Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

अयमेव महायोग उपयोगस्त्विहा परः । नियमेन तु विश्वेशे पुष्पं पत्रं फलं जलम्

Transliteration

ayameva mahāyoga upayogastvihā paraḥ | niyamena tu viśveśe puṣpaṃ patraṃ phalaṃ jalam

Translation

ในสถานนี้ ‘มหาโยคะ’ อันสูงสุดมีเพียงนี้: ด้วยศรัทธาอันมีวินัย ถวายแด่วิศเวศวร ดอกไม้ ใบไม้ ผลไม้ หรือแม้แต่น้ำ

Word by Word

• ayam: this
• ayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम्-प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle: 'indeed/only')

• mahā-yogaḥ: the great yoga
• mahā-yogaḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् योगः)

• upayogaḥ: practice/usage
• upayogaḥ: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upayoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'but/indeed')

• ihā: here
• ihā: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'here')

• paraḥ: supreme
• paraḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (उपयोगः)

• niyamena: by rule/with discipline
• niyamena: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक-अव्यय

• viśveśe: in/at Viśveśa (Lord of the universe)
• viśveśe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśveśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• puṣpam: a flower
• puṣpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• patram: a leaf
• patram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• phalam: a fruit
• phalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• jalam: water
• jalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśveśa (Kāśī)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside the sanctum approach: a devotee offers a single flower and water to the liṅga of Viśveśa; the offering glows as if it were a cosmic yoga, with subtle aura around the hands and the liṅga.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśa (Śiva)
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kāśī, simple, disciplined devotion to Viśveśa is elevated as the highest yogic path.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, centered on Viśveśvara (Viśvanātha), is praised as a place where simple offerings become supreme spiritual practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offerings to Viśveśa—flower, leaf, fruit, or water—made with niyama (disciplined observance).