Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

सुधिया त्वां गुरुं मन्ये प्रसादेन सुधाकरम् । तेजसास्ति भवानर्कः प्रतापेनाशुशुक्षणिः

Transliteration

sudhiyā tvāṃ guruṃ manye prasādena sudhākaram | tejasāsti bhavānarkaḥ pratāpenāśuśukṣaṇiḥ

Translation

By your noble intelligence I deem you Bṛhaspati, the guru of the gods; by your graciousness, the Moon. By your radiance you are the Sun, and by your valor you are the swift-drying Fire.

Word by Word

• सुधिया: by good intellect
• सुधिया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by good intellect)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम)
• Form: द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular (you)

• गुरुम्: a guru, teacher
• गुरुम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; Accusative singular (teacher/heavy one)

• मन्ये: I consider
• मन्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative 1st sg (I consider)

• प्रसादेन: by grace
• प्रसादेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by grace/favor)

• सुधाकरम्: the moon (maker/bearer of nectar)
• सुधाकरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधा + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुधायाः करः); Accusative singular (moon)

• तेजसा: by radiance
• तेजसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by splendor)

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative 3rd sg (is)

• भवान्: you
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक, सर्वनाम-प्रयोग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; honorific pronoun; Nominative singular (you)

• अर्कः: the sun
• अर्कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular (sun)

• प्रतापेन: by valor
• प्रतापेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रताप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by prowess)

• अशुशुक्षणिः: the swift-burner (fire)
• अशुशुक्षणिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशु + शुक्षणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अशु = शीघ्रं, शुक्षणिः = दाहक/दहन्); Nominative singular (quick-burner)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi audience (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fourfold allegorical tableau: the praised figure is visually overlaid with symbols of Bṛhaspati (guru staff), Soma (crescent/moonlight), Sūrya (solar halo), and Agni (flame aura).

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhaspati (Guru)
• Candra (Sudhākara)
• Sūrya (Arka)
• Agni (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Virtue expresses itself as wisdom (guidance), grace (cooling compassion), radiance (clarity), and valor (protective power).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Implicitly Kāśī through the Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting; the verse itself uses cosmic deities as metaphors rather than naming a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a eulogy emphasizing qualities to be cultivated.