Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

अनंतरूपः पाताले गगनेऽनंतसंज्ञकः । एकोप्यनंततां यातो रूपभेदैरनंतकैः

Transliteration

anaṃtarūpaḥ pātāle gagane'naṃtasaṃjñakaḥ | ekopyanaṃtatāṃ yāto rūpabhedairanaṃtakaiḥ

Translation

പാതാളത്തിൽ അവൻ അനന്തരൂപൻ; ഗഗനത്തിൽ ‘അനന്തൻ’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധൻ. അവൻ ഒരുവനായിട്ടും അനവധി രൂപഭേദങ്ങളാൽ അനന്തനെന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अनन्तरूपः: of infinite forms
• अनन्तरूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of implied subject)

• पाताले: in the netherworld
• पाताले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• गगने: in the sky
• गगने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गगन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अनन्तसंज्ञकः: named ‘Ananta’
• अनन्तसंज्ञकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त + संज्ञक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• एकः: one (single)
• एकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/उपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• अनन्तताम्: infinity; endlessness
• अनन्तताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्तता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यातः: has attained
• यातः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण ‘प्राप्तः/गतः’

• रूपभेदैः: by differences of form
• रूपभेदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप + भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• अनन्तकैः: endless; innumerable
• अनन्तकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (of रूपभेदैः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: the One deity radiating countless forms—serpentine Ananta in the netherworlds, luminous celestial Ananta in the heavens—worlds stacked vertically with the same presence pervading all.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Ananta
• Pātāla
• Gagana (heavens)
• Kāśī (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme is one, yet manifests in countless forms; divine infinity is expressed through many names and appearances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage belongs to Kāśīkhaṇḍa, framing the praise of divine names within the sanctifying context of Kāśī (Vārāṇasī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated here; the verse supports nāma-mahātmya—reverent remembrance/recitation of the Lord’s names.