Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

उवाच च वचश्चाटु बहुमाया विनिर्मितम् । कारुण्यपूर्ण वात्सल्यमतीवातन्वती सती

Transliteration

uvāca ca vacaścāṭu bahumāyā vinirmitam | kāruṇyapūrṇa vātsalyamatīvātanvatī satī

Translation

Et elle prononça des paroles douces et cajoleuses — créées par de multiples illusions — répandant un air de compassion débordante et de tendre affection.

Word by Word

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• vacaḥ: speech, words
• vacaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• cāṭu: flattering, coaxing
• cāṭu: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of vacaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cāṭu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण (as adjective to vacaḥ)

• bahu-māyā: (she of) many illusions
• bahu-māyā: Karta (Apposition/agent descriptor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक) + māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘bahvī māyā yasya/ yā’ (many/abundant illusion)

• vinirmitam: fabricated, created
• vinirmitam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of vacaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-nis-√mā (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/ppp), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘vacaḥ’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• kāruṇya-pūrṇa: full of compassion
• kāruṇya-pūrṇa: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of vātsalyam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāruṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘kāruṇyena pūrṇam’

• vātsalyam: affection, tenderness
• vātsalyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vātsalya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• atīva: exceedingly
• atīva: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atīva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तीव्रताबोधक क्रियाविशेषण

• ātanvatī: spreading, extending
• ātanvatī: Karta (Agent-participle; concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√tan (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘विस्तारयन्ती/प्रसारयन्ती’ अर्थे

• satī: the woman (virtuous one)
• satī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; ‘सती’ = साध्वी/स्त्री (also can be present participle of √as, but here noun epithet)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context) speaking to Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The ‘sati-like’ woman leans forward with tender eyes and gentle hand gestures, speaking coaxingly; behind her, faint visual hints suggest illusion—shadowy doubles, wavering outlines, or a deceptive aura.

Characters & Entities

• Māyā (illusion)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Māyā can imitate compassion; the devotee must balance empathy with discernment and remain anchored in righteous awareness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī—its narratives teach not only devotion but also the wisdom needed to navigate illusion on the sacred journey.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed here; the focus is on psychological/spiritual deception.