Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोपि गिरां गोचरो न च वाक्पतेः । प्रमथेशं कथं स्तोतुं मादृशः प्रभवेत्प्रभो

Transliteration

brahmaviṣṇvopi girāṃ gocaro na ca vākpateḥ | pramatheśaṃ kathaṃ stotuṃ mādṛśaḥ prabhavetprabho

Translation

Even Brahmā and Viṣṇu are beyond the reach of speech—nor even the Lord of speech (Bṛhaspati). How could one like me be able to praise You, O Lord of the Pramathas?

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मविष्णु: Brahmā and Viṣṇu (even they)
• ब्रह्मविष्णु: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्व/एकवद्भाव); द्वन्द्व-समास

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/अपि-अर्थ (even/also)

• गिराम्: of speech/words
• गिराम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन

• गोचरः: within reach/object of
• गोचरः: Vidheyapada (विधेय/प्रेडिकेट)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• वाक्पतेः: of the lord of speech (Bṛhaspati)
• वाक्पतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक् (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (वाचः पतिः)

• प्रमथेशम्: the lord of the Pramathas
• प्रमथेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमथ (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (प्रमथानाम् ईशः)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• स्तोतुम्: to praise
• स्तोतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/infinitive complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), धातु: स्तु (to praise)

• मादृशः: one like me
• मादृशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• प्रभवेत्: could be able
• प्रभवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) उपसर्ग: प्र
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; धातु: भू (प्रभवति/प्रभवेत् = be able)

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन

Speaker

Pūtātmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (contextual) frame audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pūtātmā confesses inability to praise: even Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Bṛhaspati cannot reach Śiva by speech; Śiva as Pramathādhipa sits with attendants, listening compassionately.

Characters & Entities

• Pūtātmā
• Śiva (Pramatheśa)
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Vākpati (Bṛhaspati)
• Pramathas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion is marked by humility: the devotee recognizes that the Divine transcends even the greatest eloquence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s Śaiva milieu is the setting; the verse supports Kāśī’s Mahātmya by affirming Śiva’s unsurpassable greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a devotional confession of the inadequacy of words.