Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

स्थलीं पाशुपतीं काशीं स विलोक्य समंततः । द्विजैः पाशुपतैः कीर्णां जटामुकुटभूषितैः

Transliteration

sthalīṃ pāśupatīṃ kāśīṃ sa vilokya samaṃtataḥ | dvijaiḥ pāśupataiḥ kīrṇāṃ jaṭāmukuṭabhūṣitaiḥ

Translation

اس نے چاروں طرف کاشی کی اُس مقدس بھومی کو دیکھا جو پاشوپتی کے سوروپ والی تھی؛ اور دیکھا کہ وہ پاشوپت دِوِجوں سے بھری ہوئی ہے، جو جٹا کے مُکُٹ سے آراستہ تھے۔

Word by Word

• स्थलीम्: the place/ground
• स्थलीम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• पाशुपतीम्: Pāśupatī (of Paśupati/Śiva)
• पाशुपतीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाशुपती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘kāśīm/sthalīm’)

• काशीम्: Kāśī
• काशीम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विलोक्य: having seen
• विलोक्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); दृष्ट्वा (having seen)

• समन्ततः: all around
• समन्ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परितोवाचक (adverb: on all sides)

• द्विजैः: by Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/agent in passive construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• पाशुपतैः: Pāśupata (Śiva-devoted)
• पाशुपतैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाशुपत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘dvijaiḥ’)

• कीर्णाम्: filled/strewn
• कीर्णाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कॄ/कीर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘कीर्ण’ (strewn/filled); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘kāśīm/sthalīm’)

• जटामुकुटभूषितैः: adorned with matted-hair crowns
• जटामुकुटभूषितैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of ‘dvijaiḥ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटा-मुकुट-भूषित (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासविग्रहः: जटामुकुटेन भूषितैः (adorned with matted-hair crowns)

Speaker

Śiva (continuing the narrative addressed to Aparṇā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Pāśupatī-sthalī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Aparṇā (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Panoramic Kāśī: the youth looks around in awe. Groups of Pāśupata Brahmins fill the scene—some with jaṭā tied as crown-like mukuṭa, ash markings, rudrākṣa malas—moving between shrines and ghāṭs; the atmosphere is intensely Śaiva.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Pāśupati (Śiva)
• Pāśupata Brahmins

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is portrayed as a living Śaiva field—its holiness is embodied by communities devoted to Pāśupati.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī itself, characterized as ‘Pāśupatī sthalī’—Śiva’s sacred terrain.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite; it describes the Pāśupata milieu and ascetic marks (jaṭā) associated with Śaiva practice.