Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

वसिष्ठकुलसंभूतः पुराहमभवं द्विजः । घंट इत्यभिविख्यातो वाराणस्यां शिवेरतः

Transliteration

vasiṣṭhakulasaṃbhūtaḥ purāhamabhavaṃ dvijaḥ | ghaṃṭa ityabhivikhyāto vārāṇasyāṃ śiverataḥ

Translation

Einst war ich ein Brāhmaṇa, geboren in der Linie des Vasiṣṭha, berühmt unter dem Namen „Ghaṇṭa“, und in Vārāṇasī dem Śiva ergeben.

Word by Word

• vasiṣṭha-kula-saṃbhūtaḥ: born in the Vasiṣṭha lineage
• vasiṣṭha-kula-saṃbhūtaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vasiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + kula (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhūta (भू धातु → कृदन्त क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः—“वसिष्ठस्य कुलात् संभूतः” (born in Vasiṣṭha’s lineage)

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• abhavam: was / became
• abhavam: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• dvijaḥ: a brāhmaṇa (twice-born)
• dvijaḥ: Pradhāna-predicative (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ghaṃṭaḥ: Ghaṃṭa (name)
• ghaṃṭaḥ: Pradhāna-predicative (Name/apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghaṃṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotative/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/नामनिर्देश-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• abhivikhyātaḥ: well-known as
• abhivikhyātaḥ: Pradhāna-predicative (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khyā (धातु) → vikhyāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त) + abhi- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (well-known)

• vārāṇasyām: in Vārāṇasī
• vārāṇasyām: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vārāṇasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• śive-rataḥ: devoted to Śiva
• śive-rataḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + rata (ram धातु → कृदन्त क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—“शिवे रतः” (devoted to Śiva)

Speaker

Prākārakarṇa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vārāṇasī (Kāśī/Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: the king (questioner)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Prākārakarṇa recalls his former human life: a Vasiṣṭha-line brāhmaṇa named Ghaṇṭa, devoted to Śiva in Vārāṇasī—evoking ghāṭs, temples, and lamps on the Gaṅgā.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Ghaṇṭa
• Vārāṇasī
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A life rooted in Śiva-bhakti—especially in sacred places—builds powerful merit that shapes destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī) is referenced as the setting of Śiva devotion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Devotion and worship of Śiva are implied; the detailed ritual appears in subsequent verses.