Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

बीजौषधीनां तोयानां राजाभूदग्रजन्मनाम् । प्रसादाद्देवदेवस्य विश्वेशस्य पिनाकिनः

Transliteration

bījauṣadhīnāṃ toyānāṃ rājābhūdagrajanmanām | prasādāddevadevasya viśveśasya pinākinaḥ

Translation

Durch die Gnade des Gottes der Götter—Viśveśa, des Trägers der Pināka—wurde Soma zum König unter den erhaben Erstgeborenen: der Samen, der Heilkräuter und der Wasser.

Word by Word

• बीजौषधीनाम्: of seeds and herbs
• बीजौषधीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीज-औषधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; ‘of seeds and herbs’

• तोयानाम्: of waters
• तोयानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• अभूत्: became/was
• अभूत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अग्रजन्मनाम्: of the first-born ones
• अग्रजन्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्र-जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (जन्मन्), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘of the first-born/elder-born (beings)’

• प्रसादात्: from (the) grace
• प्रसादात्: Apādāna/Hetu (Source-Cause/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; कारणे ‘from/through grace’

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘of the god of gods’

• विश्वेशस्य: of Viśveśa (Lord of all)
• विश्वेशस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘of the Lord of the universe’

• पिनाकिनः: of the Pināka-bearer (Śiva)
• पिनाकिनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘of the bearer of Pināka (bow)’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context) to Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśveśa (Kāśī Viśvanātha) sphere of grace

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims/ṛṣis seeking Kāśī’s glories

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viśveśa’s unseen grace radiates from Kāśī; Soma is shown crowned, with herbs, seeds, and flowing waters paying homage—an allegory of lunar nourishment under Śiva’s sovereignty.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśa (Śiva of Kāśī)
• Pinākin (Śiva)
• Soma (Candra)
• Bīja
• Auṣadhi
• Toya (waters)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All sovereignty and nourishment-flow ultimately arise from Śiva’s grace, especially as Viśveśa of Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s Viśveśa/Viśveśvara (the presiding Śiva of Avimukta) is directly praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the verse teaches grace (prasāda) as the source of prosperity and life-supporting elements.