Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

यत्क्षेत्ररजसोप्यग्रे त्रिलोक्यपि तृणायते । तस्याखिलस्य महिमा विष्वक्केनावगम्यते

Transliteration

yatkṣetrarajasopyagre trilokyapi tṛṇāyate | tasyākhilasya mahimā viṣvakkenāvagamyate

Translation

即便此圣地的一粒微尘，也令三界如同草芥。如此遍摄一切之圣域，其无量大威德，究竟谁能尽知？

Word by Word

• यत्: which
• यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-विशेषण (relative pronoun used adjectivally)

• क्षेत्र-रजसा: by the dust of the (holy) field
• क्षेत्र-रजसा: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (क्षेत्रस्य रजः → क्षेत्ररजः)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphatic/concessive

• अग्रे: in front/at first
• अग्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/Setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग; सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (locative used adverbially)

• त्रि-लोक्य्: the three worlds
• त्रि-लोक्य्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयः लोकाः → त्रिलोक्य्/त्रिलोक्याः प्रातिपदिकम्)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphatic

• तृणायते: becomes (as) grass / is deemed as straw
• तृणायते: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृणाय (धातु; नामधातु from तृण)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘तृणवत् भवति/मन्यते’ इत्यर्थे

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• अखिलस्य: of the entire (one)
• अखिलस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; विशेषण

• महिमा: greatness, glory
• महिमा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• विष्वक्: in every way, entirely
• विष्वक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विष्वक् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘सर्वतः/समन्तात्’

• केन: by whom/with what
• केन: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• अवगम्यते: is understood, is comprehended
• अवगम्यते: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Narrative voice (context: Devī–Śiva dialogue in Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī / Avimukta-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim lifts a pinch of Kāśī’s dust; behind him the three worlds appear as tiny, straw-like insignificance, while the luminous kṣetra radiates around Viśvanātha’s spire and Gaṅgā’s curve.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Trilokī (three worlds)
• Kṣetra (sacred field)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sanctity is portrayed as incomparable—so exalted that ordinary cosmic measures cannot capture its spiritual value.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), praised as a supreme kṣetra whose very dust grants extraordinary merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed here; the verse emphasizes the inherent sanctity of the kṣetra (even its dust).