Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अगस्त्य उवाच । किं बुद्धिवैभवं धातुः शंभुना मनसीक्षितम् । येनानंदाश्रु संभारो बाल्येप्यभवदीशितुः

Transliteration

agastya uvāca | kiṃ buddhivaibhavaṃ dhātuḥ śaṃbhunā manasīkṣitam | yenānaṃdāśru saṃbhāro bālyepyabhavadīśituḥ

Translation

Agastya sprach: „Was war jener ‚Glanz des Intellekts‘ des Schöpfers (Dhātṛ, Brahmā), den Śambhu im Geist zu schauen begehrte, sodass selbst in der Kindheit beim Herrn ein Vorrat seliger Tränen entstand?“

Word by Word

• अगस्त्यः: Agastya
• अगस्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative)

• बुद्धिवैभवम्: intellectual power/splendor
• बुद्धिवैभवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि-वैभव (प्रातिपदिक; बुद्धि + वैभव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• धातुः: the Creator (Brahmā)
• धातुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातृ/धातु (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मा-वाचक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शम्भुना: by Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• मनसि: in the mind
• मनसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ईक्षितम्: seen/considered
• ईक्षितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धक (relative)

• आनन्दाश्रु: tears of joy
• आनन्दाश्रु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द-अश्रु (प्रातिपदिक; आनन्द + अश्रु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); समासपूर्वपद (as qualifier of संभारः)

• संभारः: a collection/heap
• संभारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संभार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• बाल्ये: in childhood
• बाल्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: also/even)

• अभवत्: was/occurred
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• ईशितुः: of the Lord
• ईशितुः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Agastya

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Agastya, composed and intent, asks Skanda about the ‘buddhi-vaibhava’ of Brahmā that could evoke bliss-tears in the Lord even as a child; Skanda listens poised to answer.

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• Brahmā (Dhātṛ)
• Śiva (Śambhu, Īśitṛ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa invites contemplation of divine psychology: bliss and inquiry coexist, and even cosmic roles (creator, lord) are explored through sacred dialogue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.