Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

अल्पीयसा श्रमेणेह वपुषो व्ययमात्रतः । अवश्यं गत्वरस्याशु यथामुक्तिस्तथा क्व हि

Transliteration

alpīyasā śrameṇeha vapuṣo vyayamātrataḥ | avaśyaṃ gatvarasyāśu yathāmuktistathā kva hi

Translation

在此处，只需极少的劳苦——仅凭那必将迅速离去之身的舍弃——还有哪里能如此确然、如此迅捷地证得解脱？

Word by Word

• अल्पीयसा: with very little
• अल्पीयसा: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्पीयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक-प्रयोगे तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative: with lesser)

• श्रमेण: by effort; with exertion
• श्रमेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय

• वपुषः: of the body
• वपुषः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• व्ययमात्रतः: merely by (the) expenditure (alone)
• व्ययमात्रतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: व्यय + मात्र + तस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: merely by/only as); समासः—व्ययस्य मात्रम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) + तस्

• अवश्यम्: certainly
• अवश्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अवश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (certainly/inevitably)

• गत्वरस्य: of the fleeting (one); of what is bound to pass
• गत्वरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to implied ‘जनस्य/देहस्य’: of one who is going/ephemeral)

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शीघ्रार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (quickly)

• यथा: as; in what manner
• यथा: Sambandha (Correlation/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (as/how)

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: so; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Correlation/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनुरूप/समुच्चयार्थक (so; likewise)

• क्व: where?
• क्व: Sambandha (Interrogative/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक-देशवाचक (where?)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात

Speaker

Narrative voice within the chapter (contextually Viṣṇu’s discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agnibindu

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative Kāśī scene at twilight: a pilgrim reflects on impermanence by the Gaṅgā; the city’s sanctity promises swift mokṣa, with subtle divine presence overseeing the ghāṭs.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is extolled as uniquely granting swift and certain liberation, even through the inevitable event of bodily death.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī as a mukti-kṣetra, famed for bestowing mokṣa at the end of life.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No detailed rite is stated; the verse emphasizes the salvific power of the place at the time of bodily departure.