Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

विभावसुर्वसन्काश्यां नानारूपेण वत्सरम् । क्वचिन्नावसरं प्राप तत्र राज्ञि सुधर्मिणि

Transliteration

vibhāvasurvasankāśyāṃ nānārūpeṇa vatsaram | kvacinnāvasaraṃ prāpa tatra rājñi sudharmiṇi

Translation

Vibhāvasu (the Sun), dwelling in Kāśī for a full year and assuming many different disguises, found not even a single opening there against that king who was firmly established in righteousness.

Word by Word

• विभावसुः: Vibhāvasu (the Sun/Fire-god)
• विभावसुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभावसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वसन्: dwelling, staying
• वसन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• नाना-रूपेण: in various forms
• नाना-रूपेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोग

• वत्सरम्: for a year
• वत्सरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; काल-अवधि

• क्वचित्: at some time / somewhere
• क्वचित्: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-विशेषण (adverb)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अवसरम्: an opportunity
• अवसरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्राप: obtained, found
• प्राप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• राज्ञि: in/with the queen
• राज्ञि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्ञी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सु-धर्मिणि: (who was) very righteous
• सु-धर्मिणि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + धर्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्ञी-विशेषण)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Sun-god Vibhāvasu moves through Kāśī in shifting guises across seasons, observing a righteous king in court; the king remains calm, impartial, and generous, leaving no flaw to exploit.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhāvasu (Sūrya)
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• a righteous king

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast dharma leaves no ‘opening’ for temptation or moral failure, even when tested repeatedly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), presented as the sacred setting where dharma is upheld and tested.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed here; the emphasis is on ethical steadfastness (rāja-dharma).