Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

उवाच च तपस्वी तं जगदुद्धरणक्षमः । गृहाणेमां विभूतिं त्वं ललाटफलके कुरु

Transliteration

uvāca ca tapasvī taṃ jagaduddharaṇakṣamaḥ | gṛhāṇemāṃ vibhūtiṃ tvaṃ lalāṭaphalake kuru

Translation

Alors l’ascète, capable de relever le monde, lui dit : «Prends cette cendre sacrée (vibhūti) et applique-la sur ton front.»

Word by Word

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

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

• तपस्वी: the ascetic
• तपस्वी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तम्: to him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जगदुद्धरणक्षमः: capable of delivering the world
• जगदुद्धरणक्षमः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्धरण (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (जगतः उद्धरणे क्षमः) विशेषण (तपस्वी)

• गृहाण: take/accept
• गृहाण: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (qualifying विभूतिम्)

• विभूतिम्: sacred ash (vibhūti)
• विभूतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Agent of imperative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री (common), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ललाटफलके: on the forehead-plate (forehead)
• ललाटफलके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललाट (प्रातिपदिक) + फलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ललाटस्य फलकम्)

• कुरु: apply/make (it)
• कुरु: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Tapasvī/Muni (unnamed)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka-ādi ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant ascetic extends a pinch of sacred ash to the listener, instructing him to anoint the forehead; the moment is intimate, initiatory, and protective.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhūti (sacred ash)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śaiva sacred symbols (vibhūti) are presented as carriers of protective and purifying power when given by a realized guide.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s Vimalodaka Saras setting continues, now linked to Śaiva protection enabling progress toward tīrtha rites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Applying vibhūti on the forehead (lalāṭa), a Śaiva protective and devotional practice.