Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

सर्वलोकैकजनकं सर्वलोकैकरक्षकम् । सर्वलोकैकसंहर्तृ सर्वलोकैकवंदितम्

Transliteration

sarvalokaikajanakaṃ sarvalokaikarakṣakam | sarvalokaikasaṃhartṛ sarvalokaikavaṃditam

Translation

L’unique géniteur de tous les mondes, l’unique protecteur de tous les mondes ; l’unique qui retire et résorbe tous les mondes, l’unique adoré par tous les mondes.

Word by Word

• sarva: all
• sarva: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) ‘all’

• loka: worlds
• loka: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) पुंलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक ‘world’

• eka: sole
• eka: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासमध्यपद) ‘one/sole’

• janakam: sole progenitor
• janakam: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः = sarva-loka-eka-janaka (तत्पुरुषः: ‘sole progenitor of all worlds’)

• sarva: all
• sarva: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) ‘all’

• loka: worlds
• loka: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) पुंलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक ‘world’

• eka: sole
• eka: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासमध्यपद) ‘one/sole’

• rakṣakam: sole protector
• rakṣakam: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः = sarva-loka-eka-rakṣaka (तत्पुरुषः: ‘sole protector of all worlds’)

• sarva: all
• sarva: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) ‘all’

• loka: worlds
• loka: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) पुंलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक ‘world’

• eka: sole
• eka: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासमध्यपद) ‘one/sole’

• saṃhartṛ: sole destroyer
• saṃhartṛ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक; √hṛ/हृ + sam-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (as written: संहर्तृ; stem saṃhartṛ); समासः = sarva-loka-eka-saṃhartṛ (तत्पुरुषः: ‘sole destroyer/withdrawer of all worlds’)

• sarva: all
• sarva: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) ‘all’

• loka: worlds
• loka: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) पुंलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक ‘world’

• eka: sole
• eka: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासमध्यपद) ‘one/sole’

• vaṃditam: praised/worshipped
• vaṃditam: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vandita (कृदन्त; √vand/वन्द्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः = sarva-loka-eka-vandita (तत्पुरुषः: ‘praised by all worlds alone/uniquely’)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī (Viśveśvara)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tripartite cosmic tableau within one deity: on one side creation imagery (emerging worlds), center protection (sheltering hand), other side dissolution (cosmic fire/waters), while multitudes—devas, sages, humans—offer worship at Kāśī.

Characters & Entities

• Oṃkāra/Praṇava (implied)
• All worlds (sarvaloka)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The ultimate reality praised as Oṃ is the single source, sustainer, and dissolver of the cosmos—worthy of universal worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s glorification, aligning cosmic theology with Kāśī’s liberating sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; it supports stuti (praise) and remembrance of the Supreme through Praṇava.