Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

कुंभयोने न वेत्त्येव महिमानं महेशितुः । चतुर्भजोपि वैकुंठश्चतुर्वक्त्रोपि विश्वकृत्

Transliteration

kuṃbhayone na vettyeva mahimānaṃ maheśituḥ | caturbhajopi vaikuṃṭhaścaturvaktropi viśvakṛt

Translation

Selbst Kumbhayoni (Agastya) erkennt die Größe Maheshvaras nicht wahrhaft. Selbst der vierarmige Vishnu in Vaikuntha und selbst der viergesichtige Brahma, der Weltschöpfer, erfassen sie nicht vollständig.

Word by Word

• कुम्भयोने: O Kumbhayoni (Agastya)
• कुम्भयोने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भयोनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः कुम्भात् योनि: यस्य (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रचलित नाम)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• वेत्ति: knows
• वेत्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• महिमानम्: greatness
• महिमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• महेशितुः: of the great Lord
• महेशितुः: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेशितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः महा+ईशितृ (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रचलित)

• चतुर्भुजः: four-armed
• चतुर्भुजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समासः चत्वारो भुजाः यस्य

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Samuccaya (Addition/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवाद-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• वैकुण्ठः: Vaikuṇṭha (Viṣṇu)
• वैकुण्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकुण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• चतुर्वक्त्रः: four-faced
• चतुर्वक्त्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समासः चत्वारि वक्त्राणि यस्य

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Samuccaya (Addition/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (also/even)

• विश्वकृत्: creator of the universe (Brahmā)
• विश्वकृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + कृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः विश्वस्य कर्ता (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Skanda (addressing Agastya by epithet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta) under Maheśvara’s sovereignty

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The devotee/sage

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative tableau: Agastya, Viṣṇu, and Brahmā appear as reverent figures acknowledging the immeasurable greatness of Maheśvara, whose presence is suggested by an overwhelming luster or liṅga-form beyond depiction.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Agastya (Kumbhayoni)
• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Viṣṇu (Vaikuṇṭha)
• Brahmā (Viśvakṛt)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine reality of Maheśvara transcends conceptual limits, surpassing even the highest deities’ comprehension.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the discourse setting in Kāśīkhaṇḍa; the verse supports the theological basis of Kāśī’s Śaiva supremacy.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it frames humility and reverence as prerequisites for receiving Kāśī Māhātmya.