Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

वासुदेवांघ्रियुगले चेतोवृत्तिं निधाय सः । चकार राज्यं निर्द्वंद्वं विष्वगीति विवर्जितम्

Transliteration

vāsudevāṃghriyugale cetovṛttiṃ nidhāya saḥ | cakāra rājyaṃ nirdvaṃdvaṃ viṣvagīti vivarjitam

Translation

Fixing the movements of his mind upon the pair of feet of Vāsudeva, he ruled a kingdom free from strife, devoid of discord and hostile outcry on every side.

Word by Word

• वासुदेव: of Vāsudeva
• वासुदेव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसम्बन्धे (genitive relation) — समासपूर्वपद; एकवचन-षष्ठी (6th case, singular) (समासाङ्ग)

• अङ्घ्रि-युगले: in the pair of feet
• अङ्घ्रि-युगले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्घ्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + युगल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अङ्घ्र्योः युगलम्)

• चेतः-वृत्तिम्: the mental activity
• चेतः-वृत्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चेतसः वृत्तिः)

• निधाय: having placed
• निधाय: Kriya-viseshana (Conjunctive participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; उपसर्गः नि-; अर्थः ‘स्थापयित्वा/न्यस्य’ (having placed)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• चकार: did / performed
• चकार: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• राज्यम्: kingdom / rule
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• निर्द्वन्द्वम्: free from conflicts
• निर्द्वन्द्वम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (राज्यम्)

• विष्वगीतिम्: worldly songs (singing everywhere)
• विष्वगीतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्वगीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (गीति = गीत/गान; विष्व- = सर्वत्र)

• विवर्जितम्: devoid of / free from
• विवर्जितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (राज्यम्) — ‘वर्जितम्’ (devoid of)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene king seated in a simple court, eyes lowered in meditation, mentally offering himself at Vāsudeva’s feet; around him the city is calm—no quarrel, no weapons raised, citizens in orderly prosperity.

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When rulership is anchored in devotion—mind fixed on the Lord—society becomes harmonious and conflict diminishes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named; the line emphasizes bhakti within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit practice of smaraṇa/dhyāna: fixing the mind upon Vāsudeva’s feet.