Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

निशम्येति वचस्तस्य वयस्यस्य विमानगौ । प्रणयादाहतुस्तस्मै ध्रुवां ध्रुवकथां गणौ

Transliteration

niśamyeti vacastasya vayasyasya vimānagau | praṇayādāhatustasmai dhruvāṃ dhruvakathāṃ gaṇau

Translation

فلما سمعا كلامَ صاحبهما، روى الخادمانِ—وهما يسيران في مركبتهما السماوية—له بمودّةٍ قصةَ دُهروفا الثابتة الراسخة.

Word by Word

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-शम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'having heard'

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्ति/वाक्यसूचक (quotative particle)

• वचः: speech, words
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• वयस्यस्य: of the friend
• वयस्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• विमानगौ: the two (who were) in the aerial car
• विमानगौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान + ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; 'विमाने गच्छतः/स्थितौ' (those who are in a vimāna)

• प्रणयात्: out of affection
• प्रणयात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (ablative of cause: 'out of affection')

• आहतुः: they two said/spoke
• आहतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन

• ध्रुवाम्: firm, certain
• ध्रुवाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणं कथाम् (agreeing with कथाम्)

• ध्रुवकथाम्: the story of Dhruva
• ध्रुवकथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव + कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; 'ध्रुवस्य कथा' (story of Dhruva)

• गणौ: the two attendants (gaṇas)
• गणौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

Speaker

Narrator (introducing the gaṇas’ speech)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Their companion (vayasyā) addressed as recipient of kathā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two celestial attendants in a vimāna, hearing their companion’s question, begin narrating the unwavering story of Dhruva with warmth and intimacy.

Characters & Entities

• gaṇa (two attendants)
• vimāna
• Dhruva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred history is transmitted through loving discourse; devotion and affection become vehicles for dharmic instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader work glorifies Kāśī, but this verse introduces Dhruva’s narrative rather than a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on śravaṇa (listening) and kathā (sacred narration).