Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

स्मित्वा किंचिन्नतशिराः पुनरेवं व्यजिज्ञपत् । यथेच्छसि तथा क्रीड सर्वविष्टपनायक

Transliteration

smitvā kiṃcinnataśirāḥ punarevaṃ vyajijñapat | yathecchasi tathā krīḍa sarvaviṣṭapanāyaka

Translation

فابتسم وأطرق رأسه قليلاً ثم قال ثانيةً: «العب كما تشاء، يا ربّ من يقود ويحكم جميع الكائنات».

Word by Word

• स्मित्वा: having smiled
• स्मित्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), धातु: स्मि, अर्थे: ‘हसित्वा’

• किञ्चित्: a little
• किञ्चित्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: अव्यय (indefinite adverbial), परिमाण/अल्पार्थे

• नतशिराः: with head bowed
• नतशिराः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नत (कृदन्त, √नम्) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘नतं शिरो यस्य/नतशिरस्’ प्रयोगे विशेषणवत्)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• व्यजिज्ञपत्: he informed / he requested
• व्यजिज्ञपत्: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञप् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: (वि)ज्ञप् ‘निवेदने’

• यथा: as
• यथा: सम्बन्धबोधक (Correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative adverb)

• इच्छसि: you wish
• इच्छसि: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथा: so / in that way
• तथा: सम्बन्धबोधक (Correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative adverb)

• क्रीड: play / sport
• क्रीड: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वविष्टपनायक: O leader of all worlds
• सर्वविष्टपनायक: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्टप (प्रातिपदिक) + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (‘सर्वस्य विष्टपस्य नायकः’)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced from nearby nābhi-kamala/lotus-navel context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A reverent speaker smiles softly, bows slightly, and addresses Śiva as the sovereign of all worlds; intimate courtly-devotional atmosphere rather than grand spectacle.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Mahādeva/Hara/Śambhu)
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord is sovereign and free—His divine play (līlā/krīḍā) governs the worlds, and the devotee responds with humility and surrender.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is the Kāśī Khaṇḍa, which glorifies Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) and Śiva’s supremacy there, though this verse itself is a general praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it is a devotional address (stuti) emphasizing surrender.