Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

उत्पत्ति स्थिति संहारकारिण्युपरिचारिणी । ऊर्जं वहंत्यूर्जधरोर्जावती चोर्मिमालिनी

Transliteration

utpatti sthiti saṃhārakāriṇyuparicāriṇī | ūrjaṃ vahaṃtyūrjadharorjāvatī cormimālinī

Translation

Du bewirkst Schöpfung, Erhaltung und Auflösung und wandelst auch im Dienst als tragende Kraft. Du trägst die Lebenskraft; du bist Trägerin der Energie, voll von Stärke und mit einer Girlande aus Wellen geschmückt.

Word by Word

• उत्पत्ति: origin, creation
• उत्पत्ति: Visheshya (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine, nominative/accusative, singular)

• स्थिति: maintenance, stability
• स्थिति: Visheshya (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine, nominative/accusative, singular)

• संहारकारिणी: one who causes dissolution
• संहारकारिणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संहार (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिणी (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक from √कृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (feminine, nominative, singular; adjective)

• उपरिचारिणी: one who moves above/attends from above
• उपरिचारिणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय) + चारिणी (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक from √चर्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (feminine, nominative, singular; adjective)

• ऊर्जम्: strength, vigor
• ऊर्जम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्ज्/ऊर्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine, accusative, singular)

• वहन्ती: carrying, bearing
• वहन्ती: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वह् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine, nominative, singular)

• ऊर्जधर: bearer of vigor
• ऊर्जधर: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्ज्/ऊर्जा (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक from √धृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (masculine, nominative, singular; adjective)

• ऊर्जावती: vigorous, endowed with strength
• ऊर्जावती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्जा (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (feminine, nominative, singular; adjective)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction/particle)

• ऊर्मिमालिनी: garlanded with waves
• ऊर्मिमालिनी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊर्मि (प्रातिपदिक) + मालिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (feminine, nominative, singular; adjective)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā in Kāśī (Kāśī-Gaṅgā)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer (kṣetra-māhātmya audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At dawn on Kāśī’s stone ghāṭas, Gaṅgā appears as a luminous goddess rising from wave-garlands; Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Rudra are subtly implied as her functions (sṛṣṭi-sthiti-saṃhāra) while devotees offer lamps and flowers.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine power behind Kāśī is not local only—it is the cosmic force governing creation, sustenance, and dissolution.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the contextual holy field; “wave-garlanded” imagery also resonates with tīrtha and sacred-water symbolism.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse is doctrinal/praise-focused (cosmic functions of śakti).