Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 98

Devanagari script

दिवोदासोपि राजेंद्रो वृद्धब्राह्मणरूपिणे । ब्रह्मणे कृतयज्ञाय ब्रह्मशालामकल्पयत्

Transliteration

divodāsopi rājeṃdro vṛddhabrāhmaṇarūpiṇe | brahmaṇe kṛtayajñāya brahmaśālāmakalpayat

Translation

King Divodāsa too, lord of kings, prepared a delightful brahmaśālā for Brahmā—who had assumed the form of an aged brāhmaṇa—so that he might perform his yajña (sacrifice).

Word by Word

• divodāsaḥ: Divodāsa
• divodāsaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: divodāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (also/even)

• rājendraḥ: king of kings
• rājendraḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (rājā eva indraḥ)

• vṛddha-brāhmaṇa-rūpiṇe: to the one in the form of an old brāhmaṇa
• vṛddha-brāhmaṇa-rūpiṇe: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक) + brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (vṛddha-brāhmaṇa-rūpaṃ yasya saḥ) रूपिन्-प्रातिपदिक; सम्प्रदान

• brahmaṇe: to Brahmā
• brahmaṇe: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान

• kṛta-yajñāya: for whom a sacrifice had been performed
• kṛta-yajñāya: Sampradana (Recipient qualifier/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृ-धातु, क्त) + yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (kṛtaḥ yajñaḥ yena/स्य) — ‘one for whom the sacrifice is performed’ (qualifying brahmaṇe)

• brahma-śālām: a Brahmā-hall/sacrificial hall
• brahma-śālām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma (प्रातिपदिक) + śālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (brahmaṇaḥ śālā)

• akalpayat: prepared/arranged
• akalpayat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kḷp (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogues commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmeśvara vicinity (context for brahmaśālā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇa interlocutor / sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: King Divodāsa respectfully offers a newly prepared brahmaśālā to an aged brāhmaṇa (Brahmā in disguise); attendants arrange yajña implements, kusa grass, and vessels.

Characters & Entities

• Divodāsa
• Brahmā
• Vārāṇasī/Kāśī (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous kingship supports yajña and brāhmaṇas; service to dharma in Kāśī becomes a sacred act with lasting merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī as the setting where Brahmā is hosted and yajña is facilitated (linked to the Daśāśvamedha milieu).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Support for yajña through constructing/arranging a brahmaśālā (sacrificial hall) as an act of dharmic patronage.