Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अन्योन्यमर्चकास्ते वै तपोविद्याऽविशेषतः । ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मणा सृष्टः सर्वभूतेश्वरो यतः

Transliteration

anyonyamarcakāste vai tapovidyā'viśeṣataḥ | brāhmaṇo brahmaṇā sṛṣṭaḥ sarvabhūteśvaro yataḥ

Translation

Wahrlich, sie sind einander wechselseitig Verehrer, da sie in Askese und heiliger Erkenntnis keinen Unterschied haben. Denn der Brāhmaṇa wurde von Brahmā erschaffen und gilt daher als Herr unter allen Wesen.

Word by Word

• अन्योन्यम्: mutually, one another
• अन्योन्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः (परस्परम्)

• अर्चकाः: worshippers
• अर्चकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चक (प्रातिपदिक; √अर्च् (धातु) + ण्वुल्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• तपोविद्या: austerity and knowledge
• तपोविद्या: Adhikarana/Reference (विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (तपश्च विद्या च)

• अविशेषतः: without distinction, equally
• अविशेषतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अविशेषतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• ब्राह्मणः: the Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā / by Brahman
• ब्रह्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• सृष्टः: created
• सृष्टः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सृज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः (is created)

• सर्वभूतेश्वरः: lord of all beings
• सर्वभूतेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां भूतानाम् ईश्वरः)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (causal/conjunctive: 'because/for')

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages / addressed 'muni' within the passage

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene assembly in Kāśī: a sage instructs, while learned brāhmaṇas and devotees exchange respectful gestures of worship; subtle iconography of Brahmā as creator in the background, indicating origin and authority.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through tapas and vidyā, and social-spiritual authority is grounded in sacred origin and right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader teaching occurs within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa (Vārāṇasī/Kāśī Māhātmya framework), though this verse itself focuses on dharma and status rather than a single tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the emphasis is on tapas (austerity) and vidyā (sacred learning) as dharmic foundations.