Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

दिवो दासं महीपालं समुच्चाट्य स्वमायया । स्थित्वा पादोदके तीर्थे केशवाख्य स्वरूपतः

Transliteration

divo dāsaṃ mahīpālaṃ samuccāṭya svamāyayā | sthitvā pādodake tīrthe keśavākhya svarūpataḥ

Translation

Par sa propre puissance divine, il chassa le roi nommé Divo-dāsa ; puis, demeurant au tīrtha de Pādodaka, il y resta sous la forme appelée Keśava.

Word by Word

• दिवः: of heaven
• दिवः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दासम्: servant
• दासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महीपालम्: king, ruler of the earth
• महीपालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महीम् पालयति)

• समुच्चाट्य: having driven away/expelled
• समुच्चाट्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + उत् + चाट् (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (Gerund); ‘उत्सार्य/अपसार्य’ अर्थे

• स्वमायया: by his own māyā
• स्वमायया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (स्वा माया)

• स्थित्वा: having stayed/standing
• स्थित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्था (धातु) + त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund)

• पादोदके: in the foot-water (water from the feet)
• पादोदके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पादस्य उदकम्)

• तीर्थे: at the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• केशवाख्यः: named Keśava
• केशवाख्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (केशव-आख्यः = केशव-नामकः)

• स्वरूपतः: in his own form; by nature
• स्वरूपतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तसिलन्त-अव्यय (adverbial ablative), ‘स्वरूपेण/स्वभावतः’ अर्थे

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pādodaka tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu uses divine māyā to drive away King Divodāsa, then establishes himself at Pādodaka tīrtha in the form of Keśava; the tīrtha is shown as sanctified waters with footprints/‘pāda’ symbolism.

Characters & Entities

• Keśava (Viṣṇu)
• Divo-dāsa
• Pādodaka tīrtha
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine will establishes sacred space: the deity manifests at a tīrtha to make it accessible for dharma and pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Pādodaka tīrtha in Kāśī, associated with Keśava’s abiding presence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not stated directly; the verse identifies the tīrtha and the deity-form, implying pilgrimage and reverent visitation.