Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

हंसयाने नमस्तुभ्यं सर्वसृष्टिविधायिनि । प्राचां वाचां जन्मभूमे चतुराननरूपिणि

Transliteration

haṃsayāne namastubhyaṃ sarvasṛṣṭividhāyini | prācāṃ vācāṃ janmabhūme caturānanarūpiṇi

Translation

السجودُ لكِ يا راكبةَ الإوزّة، يا مُدبّرةَ كلّ الخلق؛ يا مهدَ الفيدا القديمة والكلمة المقدّسة؛ يا من صورتُها هي ذو الوجوه الأربعة (براهما).

Word by Word

• haṃsa-yāne: O (one) with a swan as vehicle
• haṃsa-yāne: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haṃsa (प्रातिपदिक) + yāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: हंसस्य यानम् (whose vehicle is a swan)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• tubhyam: to you
• tubhyam: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• sarva-sṛṣṭi-vidhāyini: O ordainer of all creation
• sarva-sṛṣṭi-vidhāyini: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + sṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhāyinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः: सर्वस्य सृष्टेः विधायिनी (one who ordains all creation)

• prācām: of the ancient/foremost
• prācām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• vācām: of speeches/words
• vācām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• janma-bhūme: O birthplace/origin
• janma-bhūme: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: जन्मनः भूमिः

• catur-ānana-rūpiṇi: O one having the form of the four-faced (Brahmā)
• catur-ānana-rūpiṇi: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + ānana (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpiṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः: चत्वारि आननानि यस्याः/यस्य रूपम् (having the form of the four-faced one)

Speaker

Devas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī rides a haṃsa, serene and luminous, embodying Brahmā’s four-faced form and the birthplace of ancient Vedic speech; Devas praise her as the ordainer of creation; subtle manuscripts/lotus motifs suggest Vāk and Veda.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādevī (Durgā)
• Brahmā (Caturānana)
• Haṃsa (swan)
• Vāc (sacred speech/Veda)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All knowledge and creation arise from the Divine; the Goddess is revered as the very source of Vedic speech and order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting frames the hymn; Kāśī is upheld as a kṣetra where Vedic and purāṇic praise naturally culminate.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; it models stotra-recitation as a devotional offering.