Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

सर्वज्ञोपि कथं नाम न वेत्थ मम वांछितम् । शरणागतसंत्राण सर्ववृत्तांतकोविद

Transliteration

sarvajñopi kathaṃ nāma na vettha mama vāṃchitam | śaraṇāgatasaṃtrāṇa sarvavṛttāṃtakovida

Translation

„Obwohl du allwissend bist, wie könntest du nicht wissen, wonach ich verlange? O Beschützer der Zuflucht Suchenden, o Kenner jedes Umstands und jedes Geschehens!“

Word by Word

• sarvajñaḥ: (you) the omniscient one
• sarvajñaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √jñā)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (उपपद) ‘सर्वं जानाति’ इति; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• api: even/indeed
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार: निपात (particle), अर्थ: अपि/also/even

• katham: how
• katham: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Interrogative modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार: प्रश्नाव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• nāma: indeed/at all
• nāma: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• vettha: you know
• vettha: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; धातु: √विद् (to know); परस्मैपद

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• vāṃchitam: desired (thing)
• vāṃchitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāṃchita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √vāñch)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘इष्टम्/वाञ्छितम्’

• śaraṇāgata-saṃtrāṇa: O protector of those who have taken refuge
• śaraṇāgata-saṃtrāṇa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āgata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √gam) + saṃtrāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी) ‘शरणं आगतानां संत्राणम्’ इति; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

• sarva-vṛttānta-kovida: O knower of all happenings
• sarva-vṛttānta-kovida: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛttānta (प्रातिपदिक) + kovida (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी) ‘सर्वेषां वृत्तान्तानां कोविदः’ इति; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन

Speaker

Adri (the Mountain) addressing Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-kṣetra (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: On-scene: Śiva; implied audience: sages in frame narrative

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Mountain, still in supplication, addresses Śiva as omniscient and as the rescuer of those who take refuge, emphasizing Śiva’s knowledge of all events.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse highlights śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) and affirms Śiva’s omniscience and protective grace toward devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative belongs to Avimukta/Kāśī Māhātmya, framing Śiva as the presiding lord of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is stated; the focus is devotional reliance on the refuge-giving Lord.