Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

एक एव हि सर्वेशो हृषीकेशः परात्परः । तं सेवमानः सततं सेव्यस्त्रिजगतां भवेत्

Transliteration

eka eva hi sarveśo hṛṣīkeśaḥ parātparaḥ | taṃ sevamānaḥ satataṃ sevyastrijagatāṃ bhavet

Translation

Un seul est le Seigneur de tout : Hṛṣīkeśa, au-delà du suprême. Celui qui Le sert sans relâche devient digne d’être servi et honoré par les trois mondes.

Word by Word

• एकः: one
• एकः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘सर्वेशः’ इति विशेषणम्

• एव: only
• एव: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• हि: indeed
• हि: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (indeed/for)

• सर्वेशः: Lord of all
• सर्वेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषाम् ईशः)

• हृषीकेशः: Hṛṣīkeśa (Lord of the senses)
• हृषीकेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृषीक (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हृषीकाणाम् ईशः)

• परात्: than the higher
• परात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; तुलनार्थक (than the higher)

• परः: higher; supreme
• परः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘सर्वेशः/हृषीकेशः’ इति विधेयविशेषणम्

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

• सेवमानः: serving (him)
• सेवमानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु) → सेवमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययः (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तरि (one who is serving)

• सततम्: constantly
• सततम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक-एकवचन-द्वितीया रूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत् (constantly)

• सेव्यः: worthy of being served
• सेव्यः: Vidhi (कर्तव्यता/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव् (धातु) → सेव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; भाव्य/कर्तव्य (gerundive -ya) ‘सेवितव्यः/सेव्यः’

• त्रिजगताम्: of the three worlds
• त्रिजगताम्: Shashthi-sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन (जगताम्); द्विगुसमासः (त्रीणि जगन्ति)

• भवेत्: would become; should become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Vyāsa (deduced from immediate narrative context in the same adhyāya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hṛṣīkeśa enthroned in transcendent radiance above the cityscape; below, a devotee engaged in constant service is honored by representatives of the three worlds—devas, humans, and nāgas/gandharvas—offering garlands and salutations.

Characters & Entities

• Hṛṣīkeśa (Viṣṇu)
• Three worlds (trijagat)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme is one (Hṛṣīkeśa); constant service to him elevates a devotee to spiritual dignity recognized across the worlds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named; the verse is framed within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s broader sacred setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Satat-sevā: continuous devotional service.