Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

देवयोनिरपि प्राप्ता चिरमस्माभिरीशितः । दिव्यांगना सहस्राणि तत्र भुक्त्वा स्वलीलया

Transliteration

devayonirapi prāptā ciramasmābhirīśitaḥ | divyāṃganā sahasrāṇi tatra bhuktvā svalīlayā

Translation

O Herr, lange Zeit erlangten wir sogar göttliche Geburten; und dort genossen wir, kraft unseres eigenen spielerischen Karmas, Tausende himmlischer Jungfrauen.

Word by Word

• देवयोनिः: divine womb/species
• देवयोनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवस्य योनि: = divine womb/species)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव

• प्राप्ता: attained/obtained
• प्राप्ता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकाले कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (अस्माभिः) प्राप्ता = was attained/obtained

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• अस्माभिः: by us
• अस्माभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ईशितः: ruled/held sway
• ईशितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईश् (धातु) → ईशित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (वयम्) ईशितः = (we) ruled/had lordship

• दिव्याङ्गनाः: divine women
• दिव्याङ्गनाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्य + अङ्गना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (दिव्याः अङ्गनाः)

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Visheshana (Quantifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• भुक्त्वा: having enjoyed/consumed
• भुक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) → भुक्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• स्वलीलया: by (his/our) own play
• स्वलीलया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य लीला)

Speaker

Pilgrims/supplicants (addressing Śiva in Kāśī; contextually within Skanda’s narration to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Īśa/Īśvara (the Lord)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A speaker addresses the Lord, recounting long cycles of births and celestial enjoyment—apsarās in luminous gardens—yet with an undertone of weariness and turning toward liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Īśa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even heavenly birth and pleasures are still within saṃsāra; they do not grant lasting stability or final fulfillment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Kāśī; the surrounding verses point toward the transformative power of beholding Dharmēśvara/Śiva in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly in this verse; it emphasizes experiential results of karma rather than a specific rite.