Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

नाना भूतानि भूतानि ब्रह्मांडांतर्गतानि च । चंद्रसूर्यर्क्षताराश्च पर्वतान्सरितो द्रुमान्

Transliteration

nānā bhūtāni bhūtāni brahmāṃḍāṃtargatāni ca | caṃdrasūryarkṣatārāśca parvatānsarito drumān

Translation

Er erblickte mannigfache Wesen—ja alle Geschöpfe im kosmischen Ei—sowie Mond und Sonne, Sternbilder und Sterne, Berge, Flüsse und Bäume.

Word by Word

• नाना: various
• नाना: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: 'variously/manifold')

• भूतानि: beings
• भूतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• भूतानि: beings (again, emphatic)
• भूतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• ब्रह्माण्ड-अन्तर्गतानि: contained within the cosmic egg (universe)
• ब्रह्माण्ड-अन्तर्गतानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर्गत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying 'bhūtāni'); समासः: ब्रह्माण्डे अन्तर्गतानि (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• चन्द्र: moon
• चन्द्र: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (समाहार-गणनायाम्; as member of list)

• सूर्य: sun
• सूर्य: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (list member)

• ऋक्ष: constellations
• ऋक्ष: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (list member; 'stars/constellations')

• ताराः: stars
• ताराः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समुच्चित-गणना (as a coordinated item)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• पर्वतान्: mountains
• पर्वतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सरितः: rivers
• सरितः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (वैदिक/छान्दस रूप; classical: सरितः/सरितः as acc.pl.)

• द्रुमान्: trees
• द्रुमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (visionary context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sweeping cosmic tableau: myriad beings across realms; the moon and sun arcing above; constellations scattered; mountains rising; rivers flowing like silver threads; forests and trees filling the earth—seen as if within a luminous ‘cosmic egg’.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmāṇḍa (cosmic egg)
• Moon
• Sun
• Stars/constellations
• Mountains
• Rivers
• Trees

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Śiva-centered realization, the devotee perceives the universe as an integrated whole—beings, nature, and celestial order within brahmāṇḍa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī Khaṇḍa context frames such visions as fruits of Śaiva proximity—Kāśī being celebrated as a place that supports transcendent insight.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it continues the description of darśana arising from devotion and meditative absorption.