Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

इति स्तुत्वा विधिं देवा निपेतुर्दंडवत्क्षितौ । परितुष्टस्तदा ब्रह्मा प्रत्युवाच दिवौकसः

Transliteration

iti stutvā vidhiṃ devā nipeturdaṃḍavatkṣitau | parituṣṭastadā brahmā pratyuvāca divaukasaḥ

Translation

Nachdem sie so Vidhī (Brahmā) gepriesen hatten, fielen die Götter zur Erde nieder, ausgestreckt wie ein Stab. Da antwortete Brahmā, wohl zufrieden, den Himmelsbewohnern.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• स्तुत्वा: having praised
• स्तुत्वा: Kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्तु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• विधिम्: Brahmā/the Ordainer
• विधिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• निपेतुः: fell down
• निपेतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• दण्डवत्: like a staff; fully prostrate
• दण्डवत्: Sambandha (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/तद्धितान्त)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: like a staff; prostrate)

• क्षितौ: on the ground
• क्षितौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• परितुष्टः: fully pleased
• परितुष्टः: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-तुष् (धातु) + परितुष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to ब्रह्मा)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• प्रत्युवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-उप-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दिवौकसः: O dwellers of heaven (gods)
• दिवौकसः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवौकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/प्रथमा-बहुवचनरूप (Vocative/Nominative plural form); अत्र सम्बोधनार्थे (addressing the gods)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual, within Kāśī-khaṇḍa dialogue tradition)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of devas completes the hymn and falls flat like staffs upon the earth; Brahmā sits serene, pleased, ready to speak; the moment is charged with quiet reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Vidhī)
• Devas
• Divaukasaḥ (celestials)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility and wholehearted praise (stuti) culminate in divine satisfaction and a gracious response.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is the Kāśī-khaṇḍa, whose larger purpose is Kāśī-māhātmya; this verse itself is narrative transition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Daṇḍavat-pranāma (full prostration) is described as an act of reverence.