Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

अविमुक्तं न मोक्तव्यं सर्वथैव मुमुक्षुभिः । किंतु विघ्ना भविष्यंति काश्यां निवसतां सताम्

Transliteration

avimuktaṃ na moktavyaṃ sarvathaiva mumukṣubhiḥ | kiṃtu vighnā bhaviṣyaṃti kāśyāṃ nivasatāṃ satām

Translation

نجات کے طالبوں کو اویمُکت (اَوِمُکت) کو ہرگز نہیں چھوڑنا چاہیے۔ مگر کاشی میں بسنے والے نیکوں پر رکاوٹیں ضرور آئیں گی۔

Word by Word

• अविमुक्तम्: Avimukta (Kāśī)
• अविमुक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ (नञ्) + वि-मुक्त (मुच् धातु + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक विशेषनाम (Avimukta, Kāśī)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• मोक्तव्यम्: to be abandoned
• मोक्तव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: to be abandoned)

• सर्वथा: in every way
• सर्वथा: Modifier (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (in every way)

• एव: indeed, certainly
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• मुमुक्षुभिः: by seekers of liberation
• मुमुक्षुभिः: Kartr (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + सन् (इच्छार्थक) → मुमुक्षु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सन्-प्रत्ययान्त इच्छार्थक कृदन्त (desirous of liberation)

• किंतु: but, however
• किंतु: Connector (विरोध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंतु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोधार्थक अव्यय (but/however)

• विघ्नाः: obstacles
• विघ्नाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• भविष्यन्ति: will be/arise
• भविष्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• निवसताम्: of those who dwell
• निवसताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि-वस् (धातु) + शतृ (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (of those dwelling)

• सताम्: of the good (people)
• सताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (अस् धातु से शतृ/सत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सत् = साधु/सज्जन (good people)

Speaker

Unnamed sage (context: speaking to Lopāmudrā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A determined pilgrim-sādhaka at Kāśī’s ghats, facing symbolic obstacles—storm, crowds, illness, temptations—yet continuing worship toward Viśveśvara; Avimukta appears as a luminous protective mandala around the city core.

Characters & Entities

• Avimukta
• Kāśī
• Mumukṣu
• Vighna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation-seekers should hold fast to Avimukta (Kāśī) despite trials; obstacles do not negate the dhāma’s saving power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta within Kāśī (Varanasi), the supreme Śaiva liberation-field.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prescriptive injunction is given: mumukṣus should not leave Avimukta; no specific dāna/snān/japa is stated in this verse.