Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

अपृच्छत्परमं धर्मं संसारविनिमोचकम् । आचार्यवर्यं सौम्यास्यं प्रसन्नात्मानमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

apṛcchatparamaṃ dharmaṃ saṃsāravinimocakam | ācāryavaryaṃ saumyāsyaṃ prasannātmānamuttamam

Translation

เขาทูลถามอาจารย์ผู้ประเสริฐถึงธรรมอันสูงสุดซึ่งปลดเปลื้องจากสังสารวัฏ—ท่านผู้มีพักตร์อ่อนโยน จิตผ่องใส และเลิศยิ่ง

Word by Word

• अपृच्छत्: asked
• अपृच्छत्: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√prach (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; धर्म-विशेषण

• धर्मम्: dharma; righteous duty
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संसारविनिमोचकम्: liberating from saṃsāra
• संसारविनिमोचकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃsāra + vinimocaka (प्रातिपदिक); saṃsāra-vinimocaka (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; धर्म-विशेषण

• आचार्यवर्यम्: the excellent teacher
• आचार्यवर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ācārya + varya (प्रातिपदिक); ācārya-varya (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बोधित-प्राय (object of asking)

• सौम्यास्यम्: with a gentle face
• सौम्यास्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saumya + āsya (प्रातिपदिक); saumya-āsya (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आचार्य-विशेषण

• प्रसन्नात्मानम्: of serene mind
• प्रसन्नात्मानम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prasanna + ātman (प्रातिपदिक); prasanna-ātman (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आचार्य-विशेषण

• उत्तमम्: best, excellent
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आचार्य-विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-Avimukta (mokṣa-jijñāsā emphasis)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The disciple bows and asks the serene, gentle-faced ācārya about the supreme dharma that ends saṃsāra; the teacher sits composed, eyes compassionate, manuscript nearby, in a quiet Kāśī āśrama setting.

Characters & Entities

• Ācārya (teacher)
• Saṃsāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation begins with right inquiry: approaching a worthy teacher and asking about the dharma that frees from saṃsāra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly Kāśī’s mokṣa-oriented spiritual atmosphere; the verse itself centers on inquiry into liberating dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual; the prescribed act is śāstric inquiry and respectful approach to the ācārya.