Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

सूपकारा ऊचुः । अत्यहस्करतेजस्क प्रतापविजितानल । किंचिद्विज्ञप्तुकामाः स्मोप्यकांडेरणपंडित

Transliteration

sūpakārā ūcuḥ | atyahaskaratejaska pratāpavijitānala | kiṃcidvijñaptukāmāḥ smopyakāṃḍeraṇapaṃḍita

Translation

Les cuisiniers dirent : «Ô toi dont l’éclat surpasse le soleil, dont la vaillance triomphe même du feu ! Ô sage, habile à détourner les accidents soudains, nous désirons soumettre une humble requête.»

Word by Word

• सूपकाराः: the cooks
• सूपकाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूपकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अति-अहस्कर-तेजस्क: O one of exceedingly sun-like brilliance
• अति-अहस्कर-तेजस्क: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + अहस्कर (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अहस्करस्य तेजः यस्य सः) + अति-उपपद (very)

• प्रताप-विजित-अनल: O one whose fire is conquered by (your) splendor
• प्रताप-विजित-अनल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रताप (प्रातिपदिक) + विजित (कृदन्त, √जि) + अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) 'विजित'; तत्पुरुषः (प्रतापेन विजितः अनलः यस्य सः)

• किंचित्: something; a certain matter
• किंचित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: अव्ययप्रायः; अल्पार्थक (something/a little)

• विज्ञप्तु-कामाः: wishing to inform (you)
• विज्ञप्तु-कामाः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विज्ञप्तु (कृदन्त, तुमुन्; √ज्ञप् with वि-) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तुमुनन्त (infinitive) + काम; तत्पुरुषः (विज्ञप्तुं कामाः)

• स्म: indeed; (particle)
• स्म: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: स्म-कारः (particle indicating recollection/emphasis; often with past narration)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Additive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (also/even)

• अकाण्ड-ईरण-पण्डित: O expert in sudden/untimely movement (swift action)
• अकाण्ड-ईरण-पण्डित: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकाण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + ईरण (प्रातिपदिक) + पण्डित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अकाण्डे ईरणे पण्डितः)

Speaker

Sūpakāra-s (cooks/kitchen staff)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The cooks, hands folded, address the king with ornate epithets: sun-like brilliance, conqueror of fire, expert in averting sudden calamities; their faces show urgency tempered by reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Sūpakāra (cooks)
• Nṛpa/Bhūpāla (implied addressee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Respectful speech and humility are dharmic virtues, even when raising urgent concerns.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse belongs to the broader Kāśī Khaṇḍa narrative context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative petition introducing the next event.