Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

भ्रूसंज्ञयाकृतादेशाः प्रशस्तास्येनभूभुजा । मृदु विज्ञापयांचक्रुः पाकशालाधिकारिणः

Transliteration

bhrūsaṃjñayākṛtādeśāḥ praśastāsyenabhūbhujā | mṛdu vijñāpayāṃcakruḥ pākaśālādhikāriṇaḥ

Translation

Ayant reçu l’ordre du roi par un simple signe de ses sourcils—son visage rayonnant d’approbation—les responsables de la cuisine royale présentèrent doucement leur requête.

Word by Word

• भ्रूसंज्ञया: by an eyebrow-signal
• भ्रूसंज्ञया: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrū + saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘भ्रू-रूपा संज्ञा’ (a sign by the eyebrows)

• कृतादेशाः: having been instructed
• कृतादेशाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त) + ādeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘कृतः आदेशः येषां ते’ (having received/made an instruction)

• प्रशस्तास्येन: with an approving face
• प्रशस्तास्येन: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: praśasta (कृदन्त/विशेषण) + āsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘प्रशस्तम् आस्यम्’ (with a gracious/approving face)

• भूभुजा: by the king
• भूभुजा: Karana (Agent-instrument / by whom)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū-bhuj (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘भूमिं भुङ्क्ते इति’ (king)

• मृदु: gently
• मृदु: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mṛdu (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial use of adjective)

• विज्ञापयाम्: a request/information
• विज्ञापयाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vi-jñap (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रयोगः न; अत्र ‘विज्ञापयाम्’ = ‘विज्ञापनम्’ इत्यर्थे कर्मरूपेण, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (rare/poetic)

• चक्रुः: they made/did
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• पाकशालाधिकारिणः: the kitchen officials
• पाकशालाधिकारिणः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pākaśālā + adhikārin (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘पाकशालायाम् अधिकारः येषां ते’ (those in charge of the kitchen)

Speaker

Narrator (within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa frame), describing the kitchen officials

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king gives a subtle brow-signal; his approving face softens the atmosphere. Kitchen officials, reassured, speak gently, standing in orderly formation.

Characters & Entities

• King (Bhūbhuj)
• Pākaśālā-adhikāriṇaḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes humility and gentleness in speech, especially when serving authority and reporting sensitive matters.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Contextually Kāśī, but the verse itself focuses on conduct in the king’s court rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes respectful communication and obedience within righteous governance.