Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

स्वयं वाग्देवता यत्र चंचच्चामरधारिणी । स्कंद उवाच । शैलादिनेति विज्ञप्तो देवदेव उमापतिः

Transliteration

svayaṃ vāgdevatā yatra caṃcaccāmaradhāriṇī | skaṃda uvāca | śailādineti vijñapto devadeva umāpatiḥ

Translation

Dort hält die Göttin der Rede selbst, Vāgdevatā, einen bebenden Cāmara-Fächer zum Dienst. Skanda sprach: Als der Herr der Herren, Umāpati (Śiva), mit den Worten „Śailādi…“ angerufen wurde, antwortete er.

Word by Word

• स्वयम्: personally, oneself
• स्वयम्: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थ/निजार्थ (emphatic adverb: 'by oneself')

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवता: goddess, deity
• देवता: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• चंचत्: fluttering, moving
• चंचत्: Visheshana (in compound)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चञ्चत् (कृदन्त; √चञ्च्/चञ्चल् गतौ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्राय), स्त्रीलिङ्गे समासपूर्वपद; अर्थे 'चलन्ती/कम्पमाना'

• चामरधारिणी: the bearer of a yak-tail fan
• चामरधारिणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चामर (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिणी (कृदन्त; √धृ धारणे, णिनि-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (चामरं धारयति इति)

• स्कन्दः: Skanda
• स्कन्दः: Karta (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शैलादिना: by Śailādi (name of a person/being)
• शैलादिना: Karana (Instrument/Agentive means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैलादि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्ति/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• विज्ञप्तः: having been informed/requested
• विज्ञप्तः: Karta (Predicate adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + √ज्ञप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (having been informed/requested)

• देवदेव: O God of gods
• देवदेव: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (देवानां देवः)

• उमापतिः: Umā’s lord (Śiva)
• उमापतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (उमायाः पतिः)

Speaker

Skanda (explicit: “skanda uvāca”)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Śiva-sabhā imagery)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine assembly in Kāśī: Vāgdevī (Sarasvatī-like) stands near the Lord, holding a gently trembling cāmara; Skanda appears as narrator, poised to recount Śiva’s reply to a supplication beginning ‘Śailādi…’.

Characters & Entities

• Vāgdevatā
• Skanda
• Śiva (Umāpati, Devadeva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In the supreme sacred realm, even Speech becomes an attendant—signifying that divine reality surpasses and sanctifies all expression.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is implied as the divine court-like realm where Śiva’s majesty is described.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse shifts the narration to Śiva being addressed/petitioned.