Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

विश्वे विश्वभुजे विश्वस्थित्युत्पत्तिलयप्रदे । नरास्त्वदर्चकाश्चात्र भविष्यंत्यमलात्मकाः

Transliteration

viśve viśvabhuje viśvasthityutpattilayaprade | narāstvadarcakāścātra bhaviṣyaṃtyamalātmakāḥ

Translation

Ô Seigneur de l’univers, Jouisseur de l’univers, Toi qui accordes la stabilité, la création et la dissolution du monde — ici, ceux qui t’adorent deviendront purs en leur nature même.

Word by Word

• विश्वे: O Viśva (all-pervading Lord)
• विश्वे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन-प्रयोग (vocative)

• विश्वभुजे: O sustainer/enjoyer of the universe
• विश्वभुजे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + भुज् (धातु) → भुज (प्रातिपदिक, ‘भुज्’ से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वस्य भुजः = विश्वभुक्/विश्वभुज्)

• विश्वस्थित्युत्पत्तिलयप्रदे: O giver of the universe’s maintenance, creation, and dissolution
• विश्वस्थित्युत्पत्तिलयप्रदे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + स्थिति + उत्पत्ति + लय + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक; √दा/प्रदा ‘to give’ से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; समाहार-तत्पुरुषः—‘विश्वस्य स्थितिः उत्पत्तिः लयः च तेषां प्रदः’

• नराः: people/men
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• त्वत्: your
• त्वत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम—‘त्वत्’ = ‘तव/त्वदीय’ (your)

• अर्चकाः: worshippers
• अर्चकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चक (प्रातिपदिक; √अर्च् धातु से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• भविष्यन्ति: will become/will be
• भविष्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्काल/Future), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अमलात्मकाः: pure-natured, stainless-souled
• अमलात्मकाः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमल + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘अमलः आत्मा यस्य’ (pure-souled)

Speaker

Unnamed devotee/narrative voice (contextually within Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī / Viśveśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī) and the narrative audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotional hymn to Viśveśvara: the cosmic Lord as sustainer, creator, dissolver; devotees in Kāśī offering flowers and bilva leaves near a liṅga, with the Gaṅgā and ghāṭas in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Viśva (the universe)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worship of Śiva transforms the devotee’s inner nature into purity (amala), not merely external merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Kāśī (Varanasi) in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, where Śiva’s worship is especially praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arcana (devotional worship) of Śiva is highlighted as the effective practice leading to purification.