Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

गतेषु देवसंघेषु पृथिव्याः पृथिवीपतिः । चकार राज्यं निर्द्वंद्वं दिवोदासः प्रतापवान्

Transliteration

gateṣu devasaṃgheṣu pṛthivyāḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ | cakāra rājyaṃ nirdvaṃdvaṃ divodāsaḥ pratāpavān

Translation

ದೇವಸಂಘಗಳು ತೆರಳಿದ ಬಳಿಕ ಭೂಮಿಯ ಅಧಿಪತಿ ಪ್ರತಾಪವಂತ ದಿವೋದಾಸನು ಯಾವುದೇ ದ್ವಂದ್ವವಿಲ್ಲದೆ, ಅಶಾಂತಿಯಿಲ್ಲದೆ ರಾಜ್ಯವನ್ನು ನಡೆಸಿದನು.

Word by Word

• गतेषु: when (they) had gone
• गतेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• देवसङ्घेषु: in the assemblies/groups of gods
• देवसङ्घेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + सङ्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां सङ्घाः)

• पृथिव्याः: of the earth
• पृथिव्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• पृथिवीपतिः: lord of the earth, king
• पृथिवीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पृथिव्याः पतिः)

• चकार: made; established
• चकार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• राज्यम्: kingdom, rule
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निर्द्वन्द्वम्: free of strife
• निर्द्वन्द्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (free from conflict)

• दिवोदासः: Divodāsa
• दिवोदासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवोदास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रतापवान्: valorous, mighty
• प्रतापवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (possessing valor)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vipa-indra / best of brāhmaṇas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Divodāsa sits in a simple yet dignified court, the city calm behind him; no deva-emblems hover over the land—only human administration and orderly streets, suggesting ‘nir-dvandva’ rule.

Characters & Entities

• Divodāsa
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous sovereignty (rājadharma) stabilizes society; when divine interference withdraws, human kingship is tested through just and fearless governance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī/Vārāṇasī is the implied sacred setting, presented through the political-sacred history of King Divodāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is on rājadharma and the conditions of rule.