Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

ततस्तुष्टाव देवेशः प्रमथैः सह शार्ङ्गिणम् । ब्रह्माणं लोककर्तारमुवाच च वचस्त्विदम्

Transliteration

tatastuṣṭāva deveśaḥ pramathaiḥ saha śārṅgiṇam | brahmāṇaṃ lokakartāramuvāca ca vacastvidam

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം ദേവേശൻ പ്രമഥന്മാരോടുകൂടെ ശാർങ്ഗിണ്‍ (വിഷ്ണു)നെ സ്തുതിച്ചു; ലോകകർത്താവായ ബ്രഹ്മാവിനോട് ഈ വചനങ്ങൾ പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• tuṣṭāva: praised
• tuṣṭāva: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √stu (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘स्तुतवान्’

• deveśaḥ: the Lord of gods
• deveśaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deveśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• pramathaiḥ: with the Pramathas (Śiva’s attendants)
• pramathaiḥ: Sahakāraka (Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramatha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सहार्थे (with the Pramathas)

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahārtha (With)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable: with)

• śārṅgiṇam: Śārṅgin (Viṣṇu, bearer of Śārṅga bow)
• śārṅgiṇam: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śārṅgin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्तुतिकर्म

• brahmāṇam: Brahmā
• brahmāṇam: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; उवाच इत्यस्य कर्म

• loka-kartāram: creator of the worlds
• loka-kartāram: Karman (Object/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + kartṛ (प्रातिपदिक; from √kṛ धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (लोकस्य कर्ता)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

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

• vacaḥ: words, speech
• vacaḥ: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; उवाच इत्यस्य कर्म

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣaṇa (Demonstrative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणवत् (this)

Speaker

Narrator (within Kāśīkhaṇḍa tradition: Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rudra as Devadeva stands amid Pramathas (gaṇas) offering stuti to Śārṅgiṇ (Viṣṇu holding the Śārṅga bow); nearby sits Brahmā, the world-creator, as Rudra turns to address him in a formal cosmic council.

Characters & Entities

• Deveśa (Śiva)
• Pramathas
• Śārṅgiṇ (Viṣṇu)
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic ideal is mutual reverence among deities, teaching devotees humility and unity in worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative belongs to Kāśī’s glorification (Kāśīkhaṇḍa), framing the city as the stage for supreme divine concord.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the focus is stuti (praise) and sacred speech within a dharmic assembly.