Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

ततो महांतं तं वीक्ष्य महामहिमभूषणम् । महादेव उवाचेदं महाविष्णुर्भवाच्युत

Transliteration

tato mahāṃtaṃ taṃ vīkṣya mahāmahimabhūṣaṇam | mahādeva uvācedaṃ mahāviṣṇurbhavācyuta

Translation

Dann, als er jenen Großen schaute, geschmückt mit unermesslicher Herrlichkeit, sprach Mahādeva: „Werde Mahāviṣṇu, o Acyuta!“

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/ततः (then/thereupon)

• महान्तम्: great
• महान्तम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वीक्ष्य: having seen
• वीक्ष्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √īkṣ (ईक्ष्, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having seen)

• महामहिमभूषणम्: ornament of great glory
• महामहिमभूषणम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + mahimā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महामहिम्नः भूषणम्)

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः; संबोधन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्, धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; वाक्य-वस्तु (this [speech])

• महाविष्णुः: Mahāviṣṇu
• महाविष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• भव: be
• भव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू, धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अच्युत: O Acyuta
• अच्युत: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; नाम

Speaker

Mahādeva (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandakānana (within Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahādeva beholds the resplendent Acyuta and speaks a commissioning blessing; both figures radiate majesty in a forested sacred Kāśī grove.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Mahāviṣṇu
• Acyuta (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic vision honors harmony: Śiva recognizes and empowers Viṣṇu’s cosmic role without rivalry.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in Kāśīkhaṇḍa, reinforcing Kāśī as a meeting-ground of supreme Shaiva and Vaishnava theological unity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative declaration establishing divine function.