Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

पुरा कश्यपदायादः पूतात्मेति च विश्रुतः । धूर्जटे राजधान्यां स चचार विपुलं तपः

Transliteration

purā kaśyapadāyādaḥ pūtātmeti ca viśrutaḥ | dhūrjaṭe rājadhānyāṃ sa cacāra vipulaṃ tapaḥ

Translation

പുരാകാലത്ത് കശ്യപവംശജനായ, ‘പൂതാത്മൻ’ എന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധനായവൻ, ധൂർജടി (ശിവൻ)യുടെ രാജധാനിയിൽ വിപുലമായ തപസ്സു ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly/once
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (Time adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

• कश्यपदायादः: heir/descendant of Kaśyapa
• कश्यपदायादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaśyapa-dāyāda (प्रातिपदिक; कश्यप + दायाद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कश्यपस्य दायादः)

• पूतात्मा: pure-souled (one)
• पूतात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūta-ātman (प्रातिपदिक; पूत + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (‘पूतः आत्मा यस्य/यः’)

• इति: thus
• इति: Quotation marker (इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (quotative particle)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• विश्रुतः: well-known/renowned
• विश्रुतः: Karta (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used adjectivally); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; √श्रु (to hear) उपसर्गः वि-

• धूर्जटे: in Dhūrjaṭa (place)
• धूर्जटे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhūrjaṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (स्थानवाचक)

• राजधान्याम्: in the capital city
• राजधान्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājadhānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• चचार: practised/performed
• चचार: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: car (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; √चर् (to practice/perform/go)

• विपुलम्: abundant/great
• विपुलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vipula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Narrator voice within Kāśīkhaṇḍa (deduced as Skanda)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene ascetic ‘Pūtātman’, marked by Kaśyapa lineage, performs severe austerity in Śiva’s royal city—sitting near a shrine or under a bilva tree, with Kāśī’s temple spires and ghats faintly visible.

Characters & Entities

• Kaśyapa
• Pūtātman
• Dhūrjaṭi (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification and spiritual authority are linked to tapas performed in Śiva’s sacred domain, reinforcing Kāśī as a field where austerity bears swift fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the Pavaneśvara narrative within Kāśī, framing it as Śiva’s royal sacred city.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is the stated practice.