Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

हंसयाने नमस्तुभ्यं सर्वसृष्टिविधायिनि । प्राचां वाचां जन्मभूमे चतुराननरूपिणि

Transliteration

haṃsayāne namastubhyaṃ sarvasṛṣṭividhāyini | prācāṃ vācāṃ janmabhūme caturānanarūpiṇi

Translation

Salutations to you who ride the swan, ordainer of all creation—birthplace of the ancient Vedas and sacred speech—she whose form is the Four-faced (Brahmā).

Word by Word

• haṃsa-yāne: O (one) with a swan as vehicle
• haṃsa-yāne: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: haṃsa (प्रातिपदिक) + yāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: हंसस्य यानम् (whose vehicle is a swan)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• tubhyam: to you
• tubhyam: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• sarva-sṛṣṭi-vidhāyini: O ordainer of all creation
• sarva-sṛṣṭi-vidhāyini: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + sṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhāyinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः: सर्वस्य सृष्टेः विधायिनी (one who ordains all creation)

• prācām: of the ancient/foremost
• prācām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• vācām: of speeches/words
• vācām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• janma-bhūme: O birthplace/origin
• janma-bhūme: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: जन्मनः भूमिः

• catur-ānana-rūpiṇi: O one having the form of the four-faced (Brahmā)
• catur-ānana-rūpiṇi: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + ānana (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpiṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः: चत्वारि आननानि यस्याः/यस्य रूपम् (having the form of the four-faced one)

Speaker

Devas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī rides a haṃsa, serene and luminous, embodying Brahmā’s four-faced form and the birthplace of ancient Vedic speech; Devas praise her as the ordainer of creation; subtle manuscripts/lotus motifs suggest Vāk and Veda.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādevī (Durgā)
• Brahmā (Caturānana)
• Haṃsa (swan)
• Vāc (sacred speech/Veda)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All knowledge and creation arise from the Divine; the Goddess is revered as the very source of Vedic speech and order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting frames the hymn; Kāśī is upheld as a kṣetra where Vedic and purāṇic praise naturally culminate.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; it models stotra-recitation as a devotional offering.