Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

निष्प्रत्यूहं च नितरां पुरुषार्थाः पदेपदे । धूपधूमभरैर्व्योम यद्रक्तं तु तदा मुने

Transliteration

niṣpratyūhaṃ ca nitarāṃ puruṣārthāḥ padepade | dhūpadhūmabharairvyoma yadraktaṃ tu tadā mune

Translation

圣者啊，人之四大追求步步无碍而得成就；当时苍穹因浓密的香烟云团而似被染成赤红。

Word by Word

• niṣpratyūham: unobstructed, without impediment
• niṣpratyūham: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣpratyūha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (indeclinable-like adjectival usage)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• nitarām: exceedingly, very much
• nitarām: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitarām (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• puruṣārthāḥ: human goals (dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa)
• puruṣārthāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣārtha (प्रातिपदिक; पुरुष + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (puruṣasya arthaḥ)

• pade: in a step/place
• pade: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे पुनरुक्ति-योगः (pade pade = at every step)

• pade: at every step
• pade: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication)

• dhūpa-dhūma-bharaiḥ: by masses of incense-smoke
• dhūpa-dhūma-bharaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhūma (प्रातिपदिक) + bhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समासः (धूपधूमयोः भराः)

• vyoma: the sky
• vyoma: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyoman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• raktam: reddened
• raktam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta (कृदन्त; √rañj रञ्ज् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (past participle)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (particle)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A sage (mune)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A festival night in Kāśī: lanes leading to Śiva shrines filled with incense; the sky tinted red by thick dhūpa-smoke; pilgrims moving step by step in a luminous, fragrant haze.

Characters & Entities

• Puruṣārthas
• Incense (dhūpa)
• Sage (muni—listener implied: Agastya)
• Kāśī (implied)
• Śiva (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a supremely sacred setting aligned with Śiva, life’s four aims are said to become naturally attainable, free from hindrance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is implied as the place where puruṣārthas are fulfilled and worship fills the very sky.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Incense-offering (dhūpa) is highlighted as part of the worshipful environment, though not framed as a command.