Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

अविमुक्तं महाक्षेत्रं न मुक्तं शंभुना क्वचित । प्रागेव हि मुनेऽनर्घ्यं जात्यं जांबूनदं स्वयम्

Transliteration

avimuktaṃ mahākṣetraṃ na muktaṃ śaṃbhunā kvacita | prāgeva hi mune'narghyaṃ jātyaṃ jāṃbūnadaṃ svayam

Translation

Hỡi bậc hiền triết, Avimukta là đại thánh địa mà Śambhu (Śiva) chưa từng rời bỏ trong bất cứ lúc nào. Nơi ấy tự thân vô giá—như vàng Jāmbūnada thuần khiết, nguyên sinh.

Word by Word

• avimuktam: not abandoned; not forsaken
• avimuktam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vimukta (कृदन्त; वि√मुच् (धातु) + क्त, नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (past passive participle)

• mahākṣetram: the great sacred field (holy region)
• mahākṣetram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महच्च तत् क्षेत्रम्)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (particle of negation)

• muktam: released; abandoned
• muktam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mukta (कृदन्त; √मुच् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• śaṃbhunā: by Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhunā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• kvacit: ever; anywhere
• kvacit: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb: at any time/anywhere)

• prāk: beforehand
• prāk: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prāk (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: beforehand)

• eva: indeed; just
• eva: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• hi: for; indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: for/indeed)

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन

• anarghyam: priceless; invaluable
• anarghyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-arghya (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• jātyam: pure; genuine
• jātyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jātya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (native/pure)

• jāṃbūnadam: Jāmbūnada gold
• jāṃbūnadam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāṃbūnada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• svayam: itself; by itself
• svayam: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वार्थक अव्यय (reflexive/emphatic: oneself)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta Mahākṣetra (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muni (sage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva as the ever-abiding Lord of Avimukta, with Kāśī envisioned as a radiant golden kṣetra—streets and ghāṭs shimmering like Jāmbūnada gold; sages bowing in reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Avimukta
• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s Avimukta is uniquely sanctified because Śiva’s presence there is constant, making it inherently priceless for liberation-oriented dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta-kṣetra of Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), the zone said to be never forsaken by Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse establishes the innate supremacy of the place due to Śiva’s unfailing presence.