Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

विधाय राजधानीं स वाराणस्यां सुनिश्चलाम् । एधां चक्रे महाबुद्धिः प्रजाधर्मेण पालयन्

Transliteration

vidhāya rājadhānīṃ sa vārāṇasyāṃ suniścalām | edhāṃ cakre mahābuddhiḥ prajādharmeṇa pālayan

Translation

Estableciendo en Vārāṇasī una capital inconmovible, aquel rey de gran entendimiento la hizo prosperar, protegiendo al pueblo conforme al dharma del recto gobierno.

Word by Word

• विधाय: having established
• विधाय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) with उपसर्ग वि-, पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having established/arranged)

• राजधानीम्: capital city
• राजधानीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज + धानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (राज्ञः धानी)

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

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुनिश्चलाम्: very stable
• सुनिश्चलाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + निश्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (very steady/firm)

• एधाम्: prosperity, growth
• एधाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चक्रे: made; caused
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• महाबुद्धिः: the great-minded one
• महाबुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती बुद्धिः यस्य/या)

• प्रजाधर्मेण: by the duty toward subjects; by righteous governance
• प्रजाधर्मेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रजायाः धर्मः)

• पालयन्: protecting, ruling
• पालयन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vārāṇasī / Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vipa-indra / best of brāhmaṇas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Divodāsa oversees the planning of Vārāṇasī as a firm capital—walls, gates, markets, and orderly streets; citizens appear secure, and the city’s prosperity rises under dharmic protection.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī
• Divodāsa (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A city truly prospers when leadership aligns power with dharma—protecting subjects is itself a sacred obligation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī) is explicitly highlighted as the stable capital, reinforcing its centrality in Kāśī-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse emphasizes ethical governance (prajādharma/rājadharma).