Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

उपरिष्टान्मृगांकस्य लोको वस्तु भविष्यति । सर्वासां तारकाणां च मध्ये मान्या भविष्यथ

Transliteration

upariṣṭānmṛgāṃkasya loko vastu bhaviṣyati | sarvāsāṃ tārakāṇāṃ ca madhye mānyā bhaviṣyatha

Translation

ചന്ദ്രന്റെ മുകളിലായി നിങ്ങളുടെ വാസലോകം ഉണ്ടാകും; എല്ലാ താരകളുടെയും മദ്ധ്യത്തിൽ നിങ്ങൾ മാന്യരായും പൂജ്യരായും നിലകൊള്ളും.

Word by Word

• उपरिष्टात्: above, on top
• उपरिष्टात्: Desha (Adverbial/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरिष्टात् (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: above)

• मृगाङ्कस्य: of the moon (lit. deer-marked)
• मृगाङ्कस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मृगस्य अङ्कः)

• लोकः: a world, realm
• लोकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• वस्तु: a thing; (here) a place/abode
• वस्तु: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicative)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future/भविष्यत्काल), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सर्वासाम्: of all
• सर्वासाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (तारकाणाम्)

• तारकाणाम्: of the stars
• तारकाणाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• मध्ये: in the midst
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• मान्याः: honoured, respected
• मान्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (यूयम्—अनुक्तम्)

• भविष्यथ: you will be
• भविष्यथ: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future/भविष्यत्काल), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Bhagavad-gaṇas (Śiva’s attendants)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vertical cosmic tableau: the Moon below, and above it a radiant realm where star-deities dwell in an honored circle; the central space suggests reverence and ordered constellations.

Characters & Entities

• Moon (Mṛgāṅka)
• Stars (Tārakās)
• Nakṣatras (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic cosmos is value-laden: reverence (mānya) reflects spiritual rank and the fruit of divine association.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly Kāśī through the Nakṣatreśvara-liṅga narrative; the verse focuses on the nakṣatras’ exalted realm.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it describes status and location (loka) as a promised outcome.