Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

जलाशयानां सर्वेषामयमेकतमः पतिः । प्रचेता यादसांनाथः साक्षी सर्वेषुकर्मसु

Transliteration

jalāśayānāṃ sarveṣāmayamekatamaḥ patiḥ | pracetā yādasāṃnāthaḥ sākṣī sarveṣukarmasu

Translation

Parmi tous les réservoirs d’eau, il est le seigneur le plus éminent : Pracetā (Varuṇa), maître des êtres aquatiques, témoin de tous les actes.

Word by Word

• जलाशयानाम्: of water-reservoirs
• जलाशयानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘जलस्य आशयः’

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘जलाशयानाम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एकतमः: one of the foremost
• एकतमः: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पतिक’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (superlative-like: one of the foremost)

• पतिः: lord
• पतिः: Karta (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रचेता: Pracetā (Varuṇa)
• प्रचेता: Karta (Apposition/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रचेतस्/प्रचेता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वरुणस्य नाम

• यादसाम्: of aquatic beings
• यादसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यादस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नाथः: lord
• नाथः: Karta (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘यादसां नाथः’

• साक्षी: witness
• साक्षी: Karta (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘कर्मसु’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कर्मसु: actions/deeds
• कर्मसु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Varuṇa (as jalādhipati)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi-audience (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Varuṇa enthroned over a vast ocean, holding pāśa (noose), surrounded by makaras and aquatic beings; below, rivers and lakes shimmer as if reflecting all deeds.

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa
• Pracetā
• Aquatic beings (yādas)
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred waters are under divine guardianship, and Varuṇa—witness of karma—upholds moral order in human conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s sacred waters are implied, while the verse establishes Varuṇa as the presiding authority over water-abodes everywhere.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed; the verse provides theological grounding for water-related dharma and tīrtha conduct.