Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

विश्वेषां स हि देवानां तपसा रूपधृग्यतः । विश्वेदेवास्ततस्तं तु स्तुवंति च भजंति च

Transliteration

viśveṣāṃ sa hi devānāṃ tapasā rūpadhṛgyataḥ | viśvedevāstatastaṃ tu stuvaṃti ca bhajaṃti ca

Translation

Denn unter allen Göttern ist er derjenige, der—durch die Kraft der Askese (tapas)—den Glanz der göttlichen Gestalt selbst erlangte. Darum preisen ihn die Viśvedevās und verehren und dienen ihm unablässig.

Word by Word

• विश्वेषाम्: of all
• विश्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• रूपधृक्: the form-bearer
• रूपधृक्: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप + धृ (धातु) → धृक् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त (धृ धातोः क्विप्), समासः षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः ‘रूपं धारयति’

• यतः: because/wherefrom
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (relative adverb), हेत्वर्थे/यस्मात्-अर्थे

• विश्वेदेवाः: the Viśvedevas
• विश्वेदेवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वे + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः ‘विश्वे च ते देवाः’ (Viśvedevas)

• ततः: therefore/then
• ततः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘तस्मात्/ततः’

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• स्तुवन्ति: they praise
• स्तुवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• भजन्ति: they worship/serve
• भजन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis of Naimiṣāraṇya (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant ascetic-divinity, born of tapas, stands at the heart of Kāśī; the Viśvedevās gather in a semicircle offering garlands, lamps, and hymns, their faces turned upward in reverent praise.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvedevāḥ
• Devāḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas (austerity) matures into spiritual radiance and authority, so even divine beings honour the one established in it.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs in the Kāśī Khaṇḍa context, supporting the broader glorification of Kāśī as the field where dharma and spiritual attainment are celebrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed here; the emphasis is on tapas and devotional praise (stuti/bhajana).