Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

सा चतुर्वक्त्रमालोक्य हंसयानोपरिस्थितम् । प्रणम्य प्रांजलिः प्रीता प्रोवाचाथ प्रजापतिम्

Transliteration

sā caturvaktramālokya haṃsayānoparisthitam | praṇamya prāṃjaliḥ prītā provācātha prajāpatim

Translation

Apercevant le Seigneur aux quatre visages, assis sur son véhicule, le cygne, elle se prosterna ; les mains jointes, pleine de joie, elle s’adressa alors à Prajāpati (Brahmā).

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• चतुर्वक्त्रम्: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुर्वक्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (caturṇāṃ vaktrāṇām)

• आलोक्य: having seen
• आलोक्य: Kriya-viseshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having seen’

• हंसयान: by/with the swan-vehicle
• हंसयान: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हंस + यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (haṃsasya yānena)

• उपरिस्थितम्: situated above
• उपरिस्थितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपरि + स्थित (स्था धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘standing above/placed upon’ (qualifies caturvaktram)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriya-viseshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having bowed’

• प्राञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• प्राञ्जलिः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘with joined palms’ (used predicatively of sā)

• प्रीता: pleased
• प्रीता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीत (प्री धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘pleased’ (qualifies sā)

• प्रोवाच: said/spoke
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/सम्बन्धसूचक (then/now)

• प्रजापतिम्: to Prajāpati (Brahmā)
• प्रजापतिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (narrating)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dhūtapāpā (tīrtha/personified purifier within Kāśī narrative)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant four-faced Brahmā seated on a white haṃsa, haloed, holding kamaṇḍalu and akṣamālā; before him stands a youthful maiden (Dhūtapāpā), hands joined, head bowed, eyes uplifted in devotion; a subtle Kāśī riverside ambience in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Dhūtapāpā
• Brahmā (Prajāpati)
• Haṃsa (swan vehicle)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

After spiritual effort, one should meet divine grace with humility, reverence, and prayerful composure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative frame is the locus of sanctity; this verse depicts divine darśana rather than a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The devotional gesture of praṇāma and prāñjali (joined palms) is exemplified.