Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

ततश्च सर्वदेवेभ्यस्तेजोरूपबलाधिकः । बुधः सोमं समापृच्छय तपसे कृतनिश्चयः

Transliteration

tataśca sarvadevebhyastejorūpabalādhikaḥ | budhaḥ somaṃ samāpṛcchaya tapase kṛtaniścayaḥ

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം തേജസ്സിലും രൂപത്തിലും ബലത്തിലും എല്ലാ ദേവന്മാരെയും മറികടന്ന ബുധൻ തപസ്സിന് നിശ്ചയിച്ച് സോമനെ സമീപിച്ച് ചോദ്യം ചെയ്തു।

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (ablatival adverb: 'thereafter/from that')

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

• सर्वदेवेभ्यः: than all the gods
• सर्वदेवेभ्यः: Apadana (Comparison source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), बहुवचन; masculine, ablative plural

• तेजोरूपबलाधिकः: superior in splendor, form, and strength
• तेजोरूपबलाधिकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-समासः; adjective qualifying ‘बुधः’

• बुधः: Budha
• बुधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; masculine, nominative singular

• सोमम्: Soma
• सोमम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; masculine, accusative singular

• समापृच्छ्य: having asked, having inquired
• समापृच्छ्य: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्तः (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया; absolutive

• तपसे: for austerity
• तपसे: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; neuter, dative singular

• कृतनिश्चयः: having made a firm resolve, determined
• कृतनिश्चयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त) + निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; adjective qualifying ‘बुधः’

Speaker

Skanda (to Agastya, deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Budha, youthful and radiant, stands before Soma with composed intensity; his aura outshines surrounding devas; his posture shows resolve to undertake austerity; Soma appears regal and lunar-bright, receiving the question.

Characters & Entities

• Budha
• Soma
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual maturity is shown by firm resolve (niścaya) and turning toward tapas to clarify destiny and purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse anticipates Budha’s journey to Kāśī, the foremost mokṣa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is indicated as Budha’s chosen discipline, though details appear later.