Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

सृष्टेःकरण सामर्थ्यं सृष्टिरक्षाप्रवीणता । विधिना विष्णुना प्रापि विश्वेशानुग्रहात्परात्

Transliteration

sṛṣṭeḥkaraṇa sāmarthyaṃ sṛṣṭirakṣāpravīṇatā | vidhinā viṣṇunā prāpi viśveśānugrahātparāt

Translation

Even the Creator’s power to fashion creation, and Viṣṇu’s mastery in protecting it, are obtained through the supreme grace of Viśveśvara.

Word by Word

• सृष्टेः: of creation
• सृष्टेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• करण: making; producing
• करण: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘सामर्थ्यम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण-पूर्वपदम् (creating/doing)

• सामर्थ्यम्: capacity/power
• सामर्थ्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामर्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• सृष्टि-रक्षा-प्रवीणता: skill in protecting creation
• सृष्टि-रक्षा-प्रवीणता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवीणता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (सृष्टेः रक्षा-प्रवीणता)

• विधिना: by Brahmā (Vidhī)
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• विष्णुना: by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• प्रापि: obtained/attained
• प्रापि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; धातुः आप् (to obtain)

• विश्वेश-अनुग्रहात्: from the grace of Viśveśa
• विश्वेश-अनुग्रहात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेश (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वेशस्य अनुग्रहः)

• परात्: supreme; from the highest
• परात्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अनुग्रहात्)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative convention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśveśvara-kṣetra (Kāśī/Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: Brahmā with lotus and Vedas, Viṣṇu with conch-discus, both receiving a stream of light/grace from Viśveśvara at Kāśī—signifying empowerment for creation and protection.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśvara
• Brahmā (Vidhi)
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All divine powers and cosmic roles ultimately depend on the supreme grace of Viśveśvara.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Implicitly Kāśī through the glorification of Viśveśvara, Kāśī’s presiding Lord.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is doctrinal, emphasizing dependence on Śiva’s anugraha (grace).