Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

काशीस्थितैर्यतो दर्शि ध्वजो मेषवृषलांछनः । वृषध्वजेन नाम्नातः स्थास्याम्यत्र पितामहाः

Transliteration

kāśīsthitairyato darśi dhvajo meṣavṛṣalāṃchanaḥ | vṛṣadhvajena nāmnātaḥ sthāsyāmyatra pitāmahāḥ

Translation

Because those dwelling in Kāśī behold my banner marked with the ram and the bull, therefore—O Forefathers—I shall abide here, being renowned by the name ‘Vṛṣadhvaja’.

Word by Word

• काशी: Kāśī
• काशी: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपद (in Kāśī) / अव्ययवत् समासपूर्वपदम्

• स्थितैः: by those residing
• स्थितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (past participle/क्त) ‘स्थित’ (standing/residing), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘काशीस्थितैः’ इति विशेष्य (नरैः)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कारण/यत्-सम्बन्धसूचक (because/wherefrom)

• दर्शि: is seen / visible
• दर्शि: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + इन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (इन्-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘दर्शिन्’ = visible/seen; विधेय-विशेषणम् (ध्वजः)

• ध्वजः: banner, flag
• ध्वजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मेषवृषलाञ्छनः: having the emblem of a ram and a bull
• मेषवृषलाञ्छनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेष- वृष- लाञ्छन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘मेषश्च वृषश्च’ इति द्वन्द्व + ‘लाञ्छन’ (mark/emblem) तत्पुरुष; समस्तपदम् विशेषणम् (ध्वजः)

• वृषध्वजेन: by/with (the name) Vṛṣadhvaja
• वृषध्वजेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष-ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘वृषस्य ध्वजः’)

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिणाम/हेत्वर्थक (therefore/for this reason)

• स्थास्यामि: I shall stay
• स्थास्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

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

• पितामहाः: O Pitāmahas / venerable ancestors
• पितामहाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्भोधनार्थे अपि प्रयुज्यते (O grandsires)

Speaker

Vṛṣadhvaja (i.e., Śiva as ‘Bull-bannered’ Lord; self-identification in the verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vṛṣadhvaja-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pitṛs (addressed as ‘pitāmahaḥ’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a Kāśī ghat stands a tall banner-staff; the banner bears a ram and a bull insignia. Pilgrims gaze upward; the Lord’s presence is implied as a radiant aura, while pitṛs are invoked in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Vṛṣadhvaja
• Dhvajā (banner)
• Pitāmahas (ancestors)
• Bull (vṛṣa)
• Ram (meṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine presence becomes locally accessible through name, form, and sign—making Kāśī a living field of darśana.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vṛṣadhvaja—presented as a named sacred locus/tīrtha within Kāśī connected to Śiva’s emblem.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it emphasizes darśana (beholding the divine sign) as a devotional act in Kāśī.