Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

उक्ता विनतयैवैषा तापोपहतलोचना । क्रूरा सरीसृपी सत्यवादिन्या विश्वमान्यया

Transliteration

uktā vinatayaivaiṣā tāpopahatalocanā | krūrā sarīsṛpī satyavādinyā viśvamānyayā

Translation

So wurde sie — die grausame Kriechende — deren Augen von der Hitze gepeinigt waren, von Vinatā selbst angesprochen, der Wahrheitsredenden, die von der ganzen Welt geehrt wird.

Word by Word

• उक्ता: was addressed
• उक्ता: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + उक्त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि ‘was spoken to/was addressed’

• विनतया: by Vinatā
• विनतया: Karana (Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Discourse (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• एषा: this (she)
• एषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तापोपहतलोचना: whose eyes were afflicted by heat
• तापोपहतलोचना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताप (प्रातिपदिक) + उपहत (कृत्) + लोचना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (तापेन उपहता लोचना यस्याः)

• क्रूरा: cruel
• क्रूरा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सरीसृपी: a female reptile/serpent
• सरीसृपी: Apposition (Same referent/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरीसृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; जातिवाचक

• सत्यवादिन्या: by the truth-speaking (woman)
• सत्यवादिन्या: Karana (Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यवादिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘truth-speaking’

• विश्वमान्यया: by the one honored by the world
• विश्वमान्यया: Karana (Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विश्वस्य मान्या)

Speaker

Narrator (Skanda-to-Agastya framework for Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vinatā, dignified and calm, speaks to Kadrū whose eyes are reddened and pained from heat; Kadrū’s serpent-like harshness contrasts with Vinatā’s luminous steadiness.

Characters & Entities

• Vinatā
• Kadrū

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Satya (truthfulness) is presented as a universally honored virtue; even amid conflict, the Purāṇa elevates the authority of the truthful.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive narration emphasizing character (satya).