Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

इति व्याकुलितं विश्वं पश्यन्विश्वेश्वरः स्वयम् । विश्वत्राता वरं दातुं संजग्मे तिग्मरश्मये

Transliteration

iti vyākulitaṃ viśvaṃ paśyanviśveśvaraḥ svayam | viśvatrātā varaṃ dātuṃ saṃjagme tigmaraśmaye

Translation

Als Viśveśvara selbst das Weltall so in Bedrängnis sah, ging er — der Retter der Welt — zur scharfstrahligen Sonne, um ihr eine Gnade zu gewähren.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• व्याकुलितम्: disturbed
• व्याकुलितम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+आ√कुल्/कुल् (धातु) → व्याकुलित (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पश्यन्: seeing
• पश्यन्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विश्व-ईश्वरः: the Lord of the universe
• विश्व-ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('lord of the universe')

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta-nirdeshaka (कर्तृ-निर्देशक/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वार्थक अव्यय (reflexive/emphatic adverb)

• विश्व-त्राता: saviour of the universe
• विश्व-त्राता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('saviour of the universe')

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दातुम्: to give
• दातुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), प्रयोजन (purpose)

• संजग्मे: went/approached
• संजग्मे: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+√गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तिग्म-रश्मये: to the sharp-rayed (Sun)
• तिग्म-रश्मये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिग्म (प्रातिपदिक) + रश्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे ('to the sharp-rayed one')

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Viśveśvara’s protective field)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (traditional)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viśveśvara (Śiva) beholds the distressed universe, then journeys toward the blazing, sharp-rayed Sūrya; a meeting of two cosmic authorities—Śiva calm and ash-smeared, Sūrya radiant and intense—set against a celestial backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśvara (Śiva)
• Sūrya (Tigma-raśmi)
• Viśva (universe)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When the cosmos is disturbed, Īśvara intervenes as protector—divine compassion restores balance and channels power toward dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Viśveśvara—Śiva’s supreme form in Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)—is central, reinforcing Kāśī’s identity as the seat of the Lord who protects the world.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is stated; the verse highlights divine intervention and the granting of a boon.