Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । मुनिपृष्टास्तदा देवा भगवंस्ते किमब्रुवन् । सर्वलोकहितार्थाय तदाख्याहि महामुने

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | munipṛṣṭāstadā devā bhagavaṃste kimabruvan | sarvalokahitārthāya tadākhyāhi mahāmune

Translation

Sūta dit : Lorsque le muni interrogea les dieux, que répondirent ces vénérables êtres ? Pour le bien de tous les mondes, ô grand sage, raconte-le.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुनि: by the sage
• मुनि: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) एकवचन (समासाङ्ग: मुनि-पृष्टाः)

• पृष्टाः: asked/questioned
• पृष्टाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) → पृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; देवा इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• भगवन्: O Blessed one
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; (your)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• अब्रुवन्: said/spoke
• अब्रुवन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वलोकहितार्थाय: for the welfare-purpose of all worlds
• सर्वलोकहितार्थाय: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + हित (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (for the purpose of the welfare of all worlds/people)

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आख्याहि: tell/declare
• आख्याहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महान् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (mahān munīḥ)

Speaker

Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (Addressed) a great sage (mahāmune)—within the Naimiṣāraṇya frame typically Śaunaka

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A forest hermitage assembly: Sūta stands or sits respectfully, addressing a great sage, requesting the gods’ reply for the welfare of all worlds; listeners sit in orderly rows with palm-leaf manuscripts and sacrificial fires nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Devas
• Sage (muni)
• Vyāsa (implied as respondent)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic teaching is presented as loka-hita—wisdom meant for the spiritual welfare of all beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ongoing context is Kāśīkhaṇḍa (glorification of Kāśī), though this verse functions as a narrative transition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse requests transmission of the devas’ teaching.