Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

विधेर्विधित्सतः पूर्वं त्रिलोकीरचनां मुदा । आविरासुः सुताः सप्त मानसाः स्वस्यसंनिभाः

Transliteration

vidhervidhitsataḥ pūrvaṃ trilokīracanāṃ mudā | āvirāsuḥ sutāḥ sapta mānasāḥ svasyasaṃnibhāḥ

Translation

Avant que le Créateur (Vidhātṛ/Brahmā), désirant avec joie façonner les trois mondes, ne commence l’œuvre de création, se manifestèrent sept fils nés de l’esprit, semblables à lui.

Word by Word

• विधेः: of Brahmā (the Ordainer)
• विधेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• विधित्सतः: of (him) wishing to create/ordain
• विधित्सतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: सन्-प्रत्ययान्त इच्छार्थक धातु (desiderative stem 'विधित्स'), शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; 'of (him) desiring to create/arrange'

• पूर्वम्: before
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb: before)

• त्रिलोकी-रचनाम्: the creation of the three worlds
• त्रिलोकी-रचनाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + रचना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('construction of the three worlds'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; भावे (in the sense of manner)

• आविरासुः: appeared
• आविरासुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-वि-भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• सुताः: sons
• सुताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-शब्द; विशेषण (numeral adjective)

• मानसाः: mind-born
• मानसाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण ('mind-born')

• स्वस्य-संनिभाः: resembling himself
• स्वस्य-संनिभाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वस्य (स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + षष्ठी) + संनिभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('like himself/own'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Śiva’s Gaṇas (continuing narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śivaśarmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā (Vidhātṛ) poised to create the three worlds; from his mind emerge seven luminous sages, each resembling him, appearing in a serene cosmic space.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Vidhā/Vidhi)
• Saptarṣi (seven mind-born sons)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic sacred geography is anchored in cosmic beginnings—creation unfolds through divine intention and sage-born order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it provides the cosmological background that will support the Kāśī māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is cosmological narration.