Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

सोम्यमूर्तिर्विमानस्थो धर्मज्ञैः परिवारितः । सेवाकर्मसु चतुरैर्भृत्यैस्त्रिचतुरैः सह

Transliteration

somyamūrtirvimānastho dharmajñaiḥ parivāritaḥ | sevākarmasu caturairbhṛtyaistricaturaiḥ saha

Translation

Berwujud lembut, duduk di atas vimāna, ia dikelilingi para ahli dharma, serta ditemani tiga atau empat pelayan yang cekatan dalam tugas bakti.

Word by Word

• somya-mūrtiḥ: one of gentle form
• somya-mūrtiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: somya (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (somyā mūrtiḥ)

• vimāna-sthaḥ: standing in a chariot/aircraft
• vimāna-sthaḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimāna (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (vimāne sthitaḥ)

• dharma-jñaiḥ: by knowers of dharma
• dharma-jñaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dharmasya jñāḥ)

• parivāritaḥ: surrounded
• parivāritaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√vṛ (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), भूतकर्मणि; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sevā-karmasu: in service duties
• sevā-karmasu: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sevā (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (sevāyāḥ karmāṇi)

• caturaiḥ: skilled
• caturaiḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• bhṛtyaiḥ: by servants
• bhṛtyaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• tri-caturaiḥ: three or four
• tri-caturaiḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + catura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रयश्च चत्वारश्च/त्रिचतुराः = three or four)

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahartha (Accompaniment/सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; सहार्थक-उपपद (with; governs instrumental)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Kāśīkhaṇḍa; traditionally Skanda to Agastya in Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Frame-audience of the Purāṇa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dharmarāja, gentle-faced, sits in a vimāna; around him stand dharma-knowers like luminous sages, with a small group of deft attendants holding ritual implements and fly-whisks, forming a calm, symmetrical procession.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmarāja (Yama)
• Vimāna
• Dharmajña (knowers of dharma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine governance is orderly and dharma-centered—Dharmarāja is depicted with dharma-knowers and disciplined service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the broader sacred setting in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, framing the episode with liberation-focused sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual instruction appears; the verse is descriptive, emphasizing dharmic entourage and divine arrival.