Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 100

Devanagari script

विशांपतिरथोवाच तन्मुखच्छाययेरितम् । विज्ञाय तदभिप्रायमलंभीत्या पुरौकसः

Transliteration

viśāṃpatirathovāca tanmukhacchāyayeritam | vijñāya tadabhiprāyamalaṃbhītyā puraukasaḥ

Translation

Then the lord of the people, the king, spoke, prompted by the expression upon their faces. Understanding their intention, the townsmen, free from fear, listened on in reverent silence.

Word by Word

• विशाम्पतिः: the lord of the people (king)
• विशाम्पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाम् (विश्-प्रातिपदिक, ‘people’) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: विशाम् पतिः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Kriya-viseshana (Discourse adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तर (then/thereupon)

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मुखच्छायया: by the facial expression/shadow of the face
• मुखच्छायया: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मुखस्य छाया); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• ईरितम्: indicated/expressed
• ईरितम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईर्/ईरय् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘uttered/indicated’ (qualifying तत्)

• विज्ञाय: having understood
• विज्ञाय: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययभाव (gerund), पूर्वकालिक (having understood)

• तदभिप्रायम्: that intention/purport
• तदभिप्रायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + अभिप्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तस्य अभिप्रायः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अलम्: not at all / enough
• अलम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पर्याप्ति/निषेधार्थ (enough; not at all—contextual)

• भीत्या: with fear
• भीत्या: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• पुरौकसः: the city-dwellers (citizens)
• पुरौकसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + ओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पुरि ओकः यस्य/पुर-ओकस् = city-dweller); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (narrating); direct speech introduced: the King (viśāṃpati)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, perceiving the townsmen’s intent from their faces, begins to speak; the townsmen stand composed, fear gone, listening intently.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda (narrator)
• King (viśāṃpati)
• citizens (puraukasaḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic ruler perceives the needs of people and speaks accordingly, creating a climate where citizens are free from fear.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the narrative setting; the verse prepares a royal dialogue rather than praising a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.