Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

छिद्रान्वेषी भ्रमन्सोथ विनिःकेतो यथानिलः । सप्तलोकान् सपालान्स रुद्रदेहे व्यलोकयत्

Transliteration

chidrānveṣī bhramansotha viniḥketo yathānilaḥ | saptalokān sapālānsa rudradehe vyalokayat

Translation

Eine Öffnung suchend, irrte er rastlos umher wie ein Wind ohne Banner; und im Leib Rudras erblickte er die sieben Welten samt ihren schützenden Herrschern.

Word by Word

• छिद्रान्वेषी: seeking a hole/opening
• छिद्रान्वेषी: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिद्र + अन्वेषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष (छिद्रं अन्वेषयति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्तरि)

• भ्रमन्: wandering
• भ्रमन्: Kriya (Concomitant action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भ्रम् (धातु) → भ्रमन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘परिभ्रमन्’ (wandering)

• स: he
• स: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक) — ‘then/thereupon’

• विनिःकेतः: Viniḥketa (restless/aimless one)
• विनिःकेतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनिःकेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष-नाम/विशेषणवत् (one without a fixed abode/aim)

• यथा: like/as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमा/तुलना) — ‘as/like’

• अनिलः: wind
• अनिलः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमान (standard of comparison)

• सप्तलोकान्: the seven worlds
• सप्तलोकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (सप्त लोकाः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• सपालान्: together with their guardians
• सपालान्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष/सह-समास (पालैः सह/पालयुक्तान्); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (लोकान्)

• रुद्रदेहे: in Rudra’s body
• रुद्रदेहे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रुद्रस्य देहः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• व्यलोकयत्: he beheld/saw
• व्यलोकयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √लोक् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śukra, restless like wind, darts through luminous channels inside Rudra’s body; within, the seven worlds appear as layered spheres with their guardian deities stationed at the quarters.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Seven Lokas
• Lokapālas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva/Rudra is the cosmic ground: all worlds and their guardians abide within him, affirming Śaiva supremacy and refuge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s setting frames the teaching; this verse highlights cosmology rather than a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.