Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

महेश्वर उवाच । अत्रार्थे कथयिष्यामि पुरावृत्तमधोक्षज । शृणुष्वैकमना विष्णो वाहीकस्य द्विजन्मनः

Transliteration

maheśvara uvāca | atrārthe kathayiṣyāmi purāvṛttamadhokṣaja | śṛṇuṣvaikamanā viṣṇo vāhīkasya dvijanmanaḥ

Translation

Maheśvara said: “In this matter, O Adhokṣaja (Viṣṇu), I shall relate an ancient account. Listen with a single-pointed mind, O Viṣṇu, to the story of the twice-born man named Vāhīka.”

Word by Word

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—महान् + ईश्वरः (कर्मधारय)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: here)

• अर्थे: in the matter/meaning
• अर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कथयिष्यामि: I shall narrate
• कथयिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुरावृत्तम्: an ancient event
• पुरावृत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरा + वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—पुरा (पूर्वकाल) + वृत्तम् (घटना) = पुरावृत्तम् (तत्पुरुष)

• अधोक्षज: O Adhokṣaja (Viṣṇu)
• अधोक्षज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधोक्षज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• एकमनाः: single-minded
• एकमनाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकमनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—एकं मनः यस्य सः (बहुव्रीहि)

• विष्णो: O Viṣṇu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• वाहीकस्य: of Vāhīka
• वाहीकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाहीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• द्विजन्मनः: of the twice-born (brāhmaṇa)
• द्विजन्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—द्विज + जन्मन् (तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Maheśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Adhokṣaja (Viṣṇu)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva (Maheśvara) begins an ancient tale, addressing Viṣṇu (Adhokṣaja) in a calm, didactic setting—divine council atmosphere, signaling the start of a moral narrative.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Viṣṇu (Adhokṣaja)
• Vāhīka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred history (purāvṛtta) is presented as dharma-instruction; attentive listening is itself a doorway to understanding karma and its results.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sets up a teaching within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa framework, preparing for the wider Kāśī Māhātmya narrative (the glory of Kāśī and its salvific power).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; the immediate discipline emphasized is śravaṇa—focused listening to purāṇic teaching.