Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

विष्लृव्याप्तावयंधातुर्यत्रसार्थकतां गतः । ते विष्णुनाम स्वरूपे हि सर्वव्यापनशीलिनि

Transliteration

viṣlṛvyāptāvayaṃdhāturyatrasārthakatāṃ gataḥ | te viṣṇunāma svarūpe hi sarvavyāpanaśīlini

Translation

Dort, wo diese Verbalwurzel (viṣlṛ) ihre wahre Erfüllung im Sinn von „All-Durchdringung“ findet, dort ist das eigentliche Wesen des Namens „Viṣṇu“ begründet — Er, dessen Natur es ist, alles zu durchdringen.

Word by Word

• विष्लृ: the root ‘viṣlṛ’
• विष्लृ: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/उपपद)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विष्लृ (धातु)
• Form: धातुनिर्देश (verbal root citation); ‘व्याप्तौ’ इत्यर्थनिर्देशसहित

• व्याप्तौ: in (the sense of) pervasion
• व्याप्तौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अर्थनिर्देशे (in the sense of)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देशार्थ

• धातुः: verbal root
• धातुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यत्र: wherein
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक देशवाचक (relative adverb: where/wherein)

• सार्थकताम्: meaningfulness; full applicability
• सार्थकताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार्थकता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गतः: has attained
• गतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘प्राप्तः’

• ते: that (those)
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; निर्देशार्थ (‘those/that’)

• विष्णुनाम: the name ‘Viṣṇu’
• विष्णुनाम: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘विष्णोः नाम’

• स्वरूपे: in the essential form/nature
• स्वरूपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/उपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• सर्वव्यापनशीलिनि: in that which has the nature of pervading all
• सर्वव्यापनशीलिनि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + व्यापन + शीलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of स्वरूपे)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Purāṇic audience within the frame dialogue

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A scholar-sage in Kāśī explaining the word ‘Viṣṇu’ while the background shows the deity’s presence permeating rivers, ghāṭs, temples, and the sky—transparent overlays of Vishnu across the cityscape.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Nāma (name)
• Dhātu (verbal root)
• Kāśī (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The name “Viṣṇu” points to God’s all-pervading nature—He is present in and through all existence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse is theological/etymological; its placement in Kāśīkhaṇḍa connects this teaching to the sanctity of Kāśī’s devotional milieu.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse supports nāma-japa and contemplation by explaining the meaning embedded in the divine name.