Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 100

Devanagari script

एवमाराध्य भूतेशं महाकालं ततो द्विजः । जगाम नगरीं कांतीं कांतां त्रिभुवनादपि

Transliteration

evamārādhya bhūteśaṃ mahākālaṃ tato dvijaḥ | jagāma nagarīṃ kāṃtīṃ kāṃtāṃ tribhuvanādapi

Translation

Après avoir ainsi vénéré Bhūteśa—Mahākāla—, le brāhmane se rendit ensuite dans cette cité rayonnante, si charmante qu’elle surpasse même la beauté des trois mondes.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of manner)

• आराध्य: having worshipped
• आराध्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-राध् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त; ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund/absolutive), ‘having worshipped’

• भूतेशम्: the Lord of beings (Bhūteśa)
• भूतेशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Accusative singular); समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘भूतानाम् ईशः’

• महाकालम्: Mahākāla
• महाकालम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Accusative singular); समास: कर्मधारय ‘महान् कालः’ (name: Mahākāla)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/ततः (indeclinable adverb: then/from there/thereafter)

• द्विजः: the brāhmaṇa (twice-born)
• द्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• नगरीम्: to the city
• नगरीम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• कान्तीम्: lovely, radiant
• कान्तीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Accusative singular); विशेषण (qualifying ‘नगरीम्’)

• कान्ताम्: beautiful, beloved
• कान्ताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कान्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (Accusative singular); विशेषण (qualifying ‘नगरीम्’)

• त्रिभुवनात्: from the three worlds
• त्रिभुवनात्: Apadana (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी विभक्ति; एकवचन (Ablative singular); समास: द्विगु ‘त्रीणि भुवनानि’

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक निपात (particle: even/also)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (implied) with prior worship of Mahākāla/Bhūteśa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (typical frame; not stated in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa completes worship before a fierce-yet-auspicious Mahākāla liṅga; then he sets out toward a luminous city whose skyline glows with spiritual radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūteśa
• Mahākāla
• Kāśī (implied: the praised city)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion to Mahākāla leads the seeker toward the supreme sacred space—Kāśī—celebrated as transcending worldly beauty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), praised as a city more radiant than the three worlds.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Propitiation/worship (ārādhana) of Mahākāla (Śiva) is indicated; no specific vrata or dāna is stated in this verse.