Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

ततः प्रोवाच स ब्राध्निर्देव देवमुमापतिम् । प्रसन्नवदनं शांतं शांतपारिषदावृतम्

Transliteration

tataḥ provāca sa brādhnirdeva devamumāpatim | prasannavadanaṃ śāṃtaṃ śāṃtapāriṣadāvṛtam

Translation

Daraufhin sprach der Strahlende zum Gott der Götter, Umāpati: mit gnädigem Antlitz, still und friedvoll, umgeben von einer ruhigen Gefolgschaft.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kāla/Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणम्/adverb): 'ततः' = 'thereafter/from that'

• प्रोवाच: said
• प्रोवाच: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपदम्; 'प्र-उवाच' = 'said forth'

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• ब्राध्निः: Brādhni (name)
• ब्राध्निः: Karta (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राध्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• उमापतिम्: Umā’s lord (Śiva)
• उमापतिम्: Karman (Object; apposition to देवम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (उमायाः पतिः)

• प्रसन्नवदनम्: with a serene face
• प्रसन्नवदनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (प्रसन्नं वदनं यस्य/प्रसन्न-वदनः) — here as neuter agreeing with देवम्

• शान्तम्: peaceful
• शान्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• शान्तपारिषदावृतम्: surrounded by calm attendants
• शान्तपारिषदावृतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + पारिषद (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृत (कृदन्त; √वृ (धातु) + आ-उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (शान्तैः पारिषदैः आवृतम्) + क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Skanda (narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta/Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Traditional frame: sages (e.g., Śaunaka group) / pilgrim-audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant sage/devotee addresses Umāpati: Śiva seated in serene majesty, face gentle and tranquil, surrounded by a calm retinue of gaṇas; the atmosphere is hushed like a sanctum in Kāśī.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmarāja (Yama)
• Śiva (Umāpati)
• Śiva’s gaṇas/attendants (pāriṣada)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

After receiving grace, the devotee gains composure and becomes fit to offer prayer and petition with clarity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred setting for this divine audience with Umāpati.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces a devotional dialogue (stuti/prārthanā) context.