Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

भ्रष्टराज्याश्च विबुधा महेशं शरणं गताः । सर्वज्ञेन ततो देवीप्रेरिताऽसुरमर्दने

Transliteration

bhraṣṭarājyāśca vibudhā maheśaṃ śaraṇaṃ gatāḥ | sarvajñena tato devīpreritā'suramardane

Translation

The gods, fallen from their sovereignty, took refuge in Maheśa. Then, urged by the all-knowing Lord, the Goddess was sent forth for the crushing of the asura.

Word by Word

• bhraṣṭa-rājyāḥ: (those) deprived of their kingdom
• bhraṣṭa-rājyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhraṣṭa (कृदन्त, क्त from √bhraṃś) + rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘those whose kingdom is lost’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• vibudhāḥ: the gods
• vibudhāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• maheśam: Maheśa (Śiva)
• maheśam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; used as predicate-object with √gam: ‘as refuge’

• gatāḥ: having approached
• gatāḥ: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्यय: क्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘having gone/approached’

• sarvajñena: by the omniscient one
• sarvajñena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarvajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental ‘by the omniscient (one)’

• tataḥ: then/thereupon
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तस्मात्-अर्थे (ablatival adverb) ‘then/thereupon/from that’

• devī-preritā: impelled by the Goddess
• devī-preritā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक) + preritā (कृदन्त, क्त from √prer)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘by the goddess’/‘of the goddess’ + PPP; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agrees with (understood) śaktiḥ/senā etc.

• asura-mardane: in the demon-slaying (battle/act)
• asura-mardane: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक) + mardana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भाव) ‘asura-slaying’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative ‘in/for the slaying of demons’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśī Khaṇḍa narration typically Skanda → Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas, their crowns dimmed and banners lowered, approach Maheśa in supplication; Śiva, tranquil and all-knowing, signals Devī to proceed against the asura.

Characters & Entities

• Vibudhāḥ (Devas)
• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is threatened, refuge in Śiva and divine guidance restore order; surrender (śaraṇāgati) precedes protection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s sacred narrative world; this verse emphasizes divine refuge rather than naming a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the act highlighted is śaraṇāgati—taking refuge in Maheśa.