Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

स्कंद उवाच । शृणु कुं भज वक्ष्यामि यथा प्राप्तिर्भवेदिह । स्वश्रेयो दातुरेतस्या विमुक्तस्य महामते

Transliteration

skaṃda uvāca | śṛṇu kuṃ bhaja vakṣyāmi yathā prāptirbhavediha | svaśreyo dāturetasyā vimuktasya mahāmate

Translation

สกันทะกล่าวว่า: จงฟังและบูชาเถิด เราจักอธิบายว่าการบรรลุย่อมเกิดขึ้น ณ ที่นี้อย่างไร โอผู้มีปัญญายิ่ง อวิมุกตะนี้ประทานเพื่อประโยชน์สูงสุดของผู้ให้เอง

Word by Word

• स्कन्दः: Skanda
• स्कन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• कुम्: what
• कुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक-सर्वनाम; (पाठभेदसम्भवः—किं)

• भज: resort to/attend
• भज: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वक्ष्यामि: I will tell
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• यथा: how/so that
• यथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/उपमानार्थक-अव्यय (as/how)

• प्राप्तिः: attainment
• प्राप्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवेत्: may be/should occur
• भवेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: here)

• स्वश्रेयो: one's own welfare/benefit
• स्वश्रेयो: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य श्रेयः)

• दातुः: of the giver
• दातुः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एतस्याः: of this (f.)
• एतस्याः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विमुक्तस्य: of the liberated/free one
• विमुक्तस्य: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि+मुच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषणम् (दातुः)

• महामते: O great-minded one
• महामते: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (महती मतिः यस्य सः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahāmati (the inquirer; brāhmaṇa/ṛṣi implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda begins formal instruction: commanding attentive listening and devotion, promising to explain the means of attainment in Avimukta for the seeker’s highest good.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Avimukta (Kāśī)
• Agastya (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attainment of the liberating kṣetra is linked with attentive listening and devotion; sacred access is framed as a grace that serves ultimate welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta (Kāśī) as a liberating kṣetra connected with Avimukteśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa (listening) and bhajana/upāsanā (worship) are indicated as the posture for receiving the forthcoming instruction.