Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

ये वसंतीह विश्वेश राजधान्यां द्विजोत्तम । क्षुद्राक्षुद्रा जंतुमात्रा विश्वेशां शास्त एव हि

Transliteration

ye vasaṃtīha viśveśa rājadhānyāṃ dvijottama | kṣudrākṣudrā jaṃtumātrā viśveśāṃ śāsta eva hi

Translation

O bester der Brāhmaṇas, wer immer hier wohnt, in der königlichen Stadt Viśveśas—ob gering oder nicht gering, welches Lebewesen auch immer—Viśveśa selbst wird wahrlich ihr Beschützer und ihr Führer.

Word by Word

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वसन्ति: live; dwell
• वसन्ति: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• इह: here
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक adverb)

• विश्वेश: O Viśveśa
• विश्वेश: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• राजधान्याम्: in the capital city
• राजधान्याम्: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजधानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानाम् उत्तमः)

• क्षुद्र-अक्षुद्राः: small and not-small (low and high)
• क्षुद्र-अक्षुद्राः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (क्षुद्राश्च अक्षुद्राश्च)

• जन्तु-मात्राः: mere living beings
• जन्तु-मात्राः: Karta (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जन्तूनां मात्राः = ‘mere creatures’)

• विश्वेशाम्: Viśveśa (as object)
• विश्वेशाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (छान्दस/प्रयोग-भेदः: -आम् ending used for -म्)

• शास्ता: (is) the ruler; chastiser
• शास्ता: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शास् (धातु)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्यय (Agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘ruler/discipliner’ (कर्तृवाचक)

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण/emphasis)

• हि: for; indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Justification)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (हेतुनिपात/causal particle)

Speaker

Caṇḍāla (continuing speech, contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśveśvara-kṣetra (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijottama (addressed brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic Kāśī scene: diverse beings—brāhmaṇas, workers, outcastes, animals—living within the city, all sheltered by an unseen yet palpable Viśveśa presence, suggesting protective guidance over the whole kṣetra.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśa (Śiva of Kāśī)
• Kāśī (implied as Viśveśa-rājadhānī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kāśī, Viśveśa’s grace extends broadly—divine guardianship is not restricted by social rank.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), praised as the ‘royal city’ of Viśveśa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse emphasizes the spiritual status and protection associated with residing in Kāśī.