Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

विश्वेशानुग्रहेणैव त्वयैषा पाल्यते पुरी । एकस्याप्यवनात्काश्यां त्रैलोक्यमवितं भवेत्

Transliteration

viśveśānugraheṇaiva tvayaiṣā pālyate purī | ekasyāpyavanātkāśyāṃ trailokyamavitaṃ bhavet

Translation

C’est par la seule grâce de Viśveśvara que cette cité est gardée par toi ; car en protégeant ne fût-ce qu’un seul être à Kāśī, c’est comme si les trois mondes étaient protégés.

Word by Word

• viśveśa: of Viśveśa (Lord of the universe)
• viśveśa: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva-īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; समासः = विश्व + ईश (तत्पुरुषः) ‘lord of the universe’ (as first member)

• anugraheṇa: by the grace
• anugraheṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anugraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; समासः = विश्वेश-अनुग्रह (तत्पुरुषः) ‘grace of Viśveśa’

• eva: indeed; only
• eva: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• eṣā: this
• eṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘purī’ विशेषण

• pālyate: is protected
• pālyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pāl (पाल रक्षणे)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

• purī: the city
• purī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• ekasya: of one
• ekasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; ‘one (person)’

• api: even
• api: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — ‘even’

• avanāt: from the protection
• avanāt: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avana (प्रातिपदिक; √av रक्षणे)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; ‘अवन’ = protection/guarding

• kāśyām: in Kāśī
• kāśyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• trailokyam: the three worlds
• trailokyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri-loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः = त्रि + लोक ‘three worlds’

• avitam: protected
• avitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avita (कृदन्त; √av रक्षणे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘protected’; ‘trailokyam’ विशेषण

• bhavet: would become
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू सत्तायाम्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Viśveśvara-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The King (protector of the city)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king stands vigil at Kāśī’s gates/ghāṭas with attendants, ensuring pilgrims’ safety; above, Viśveśvara’s luminous presence signifies grace; a single protected pilgrim is highlighted, symbolizing protection of the three worlds.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśvara
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service and protection offered in Kāśī, under Viśveśvara’s grace, is magnified into cosmic-scale merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, under the lordship of Viśveśvara (Śiva).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A dharmic duty is implied: protection/guardianship in Kāśī as a meritorious act, especially for rulers.