Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

अभिषिच्य महेशेन स्वयं ब्रह्मांडमंडपे । दत्तं समस्तमैश्वर्यं यन्निजं नान्यगामि च

Transliteration

abhiṣicya maheśena svayaṃ brahmāṃḍamaṃḍape | dattaṃ samastamaiśvaryaṃ yannijaṃ nānyagāmi ca

Translation

ബ്രഹ്മാണ്ഡ-മണ്ഡപത്തിൽ സ്വയം മഹേശൻ അവനെ അഭിഷേകം ചെയ്ത്, സമസ്ത ഐശ്വര്യം—തന്റെ സ്വഭാവസിദ്ധ അധിപത്യം തന്നേ—അവനു ദാനം ചെയ്തു; അത് മറ്റൊരാളിലേക്കു പോകുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• abhiṣicya: having consecrated
• abhiṣicya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Gerundial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√sic (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘अभिषिच्य’ = having consecrated/anointed

• maheśena: by Maheśa (Śiva)
• maheśena: Karaṇa (Agent in passive/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (by Maheśa)

• svayam: personally, himself
• svayam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्वयम् (emphatic adverb: oneself)

• brahmāṇḍa-maṇḍape: in the pavilion of the Brahmāṇḍa
• brahmāṇḍa-maṇḍape: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmāṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्माण्डस्य मण्डपः)

• dattam: (was) given/bestowed
• dattam: Kriyā (Main predicate as PPP)
• Type: Verb
• Root: datta (कृदन्त; √dā धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थं ‘given/bestowed’

• samastam: entire, complete
• samastam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• aiśvaryam: sovereignty, lordly power
• aiśvaryam: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aiśvarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; दत्तम् इत्यस्य कर्म/विषय

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (Relational/Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (यद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative)

• nijam: one’s own
• nijam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (own)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• anya-gāmi: going to another (i.e., not transferable)
• anya-gāmi: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक) + gāmin (प्रातिपदिक; from √gam धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अन्यं गच्छति इति)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrator (within Kāśīkhaṇḍa tradition: Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (narrative frame) / Brahmāṇḍa-maṇḍapa (mythic locus)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In a vast jeweled pavilion representing the cosmos, Maheśa performs abhiṣeka, pouring sanctified waters from golden kalaśas; the consecrated deity receives complete sovereignty, surrounded by celestial witnesses and radiant mandala-like architecture.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Brahmāṇḍa-maṇḍapa (cosmic assembly hall)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True lordship is rooted in divine sanction and harmony—Śiva’s consecration signifies unity of cosmic governance, not rivalry.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred setting in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, where such divine honors amplify the city’s mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The act referenced is abhiṣeka (consecration/anointing), presented as a divine model of honoring the Lord.