Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

अपृच्छत्परमं धर्मं संसारविनिमोचकम् । आचार्यवर्यं सौम्यास्यं प्रसन्नात्मानमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

apṛcchatparamaṃ dharmaṃ saṃsāravinimocakam | ācāryavaryaṃ saumyāsyaṃ prasannātmānamuttamam

Translation

Ngài thưa hỏi bậc ācārya tối thượng về Chánh Pháp tối cao, pháp môn giải thoát khỏi saṃsāra—vị thầy dung mạo hiền hòa, tâm an nhiên, thật bậc ưu thắng.

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.