Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

देवत्रयं स भगवानंशुमाली दिवाकरः । सर्वेषां महसां राशिः कालकालप्रवर्तकः

Transliteration

devatrayaṃ sa bhagavānaṃśumālī divākaraḥ | sarveṣāṃ mahasāṃ rāśiḥ kālakālapravartakaḥ

Translation

Diese selige Sonne—mit Strahlen bekränzt, Schöpferin des Tages—ist wahrhaft die Dreiheit der Götter. Sie ist der Schatz aller Herrlichkeiten und der Lenker der Zeit und ihrer Zyklen.

Word by Word

• देव-त्रयम्: the triad of gods
• देव-त्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रयो देवाः)

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

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अंशुमाली: the ray-garlanded (sun)
• अंशुमाली: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंशु + मालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अंशूनां माली)

• दिवाकरः: Divākara (sun)
• दिवाकरः: Karta (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवा + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दिवायाः करः/दिवसस्य कर्ता)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• महसाम्: of splendors/lights
• महसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• राशिः: a heap/mass
• राशिः: Karta (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• काल-काल-प्रवर्तकः: the instigator of Time, the Time of time
• काल-काल-प्रवर्तकः: Karta (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + काल + प्रवर्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कालस्य कालः—महाकालः; तस्य प्रवर्तकः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Gaṅgā ghāṭas at sunrise)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand solar icon: Sūrya with a garland of rays, illuminating the worlds; beneath, the Gaṅgā ghāṭas of Kāśī at dawn with devotees offering arghya, emphasizing time’s turning and splendor’s treasury.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya (Divākara)
• Aṃśumālī
• Devatraya (Trimūrti)
• Kāla (Time)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sūrya is revered as a cosmic manifestation of divinity who sustains order, brilliance, and the flow of time.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate focus is Sūrya’s greatness; the broader textual setting is Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite here; it prepares the ground for solar worship described in subsequent verses.