Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

ततः स भगवान्विष्णुर्मौलावाज्ञां निधाय च । क्षणं ध्यानपरो भूत्वा तपस्येव मनो दधौ

Transliteration

tataḥ sa bhagavānviṣṇurmaulāvājñāṃ nidhāya ca | kṣaṇaṃ dhyānaparo bhūtvā tapasyeva mano dadhau

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ഭഗവാൻ വിഷ്ണു ആ ആജ്ഞയെ ഭക്തിയോടെ ശിരസ്സിൽ ധരിച്ചു, ക്ഷണനേരം ധ്യാനപരനായി, മനസ്സിനെ തപസ്സുപോലെ ഏകാഗ്രമാക്കി.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/ततः (then)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मौलौ: on (his) head/crown
• मौलौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mauli (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• आज्ञाम्: command; order
• आज्ञाम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• निधाय: having placed
• निधाय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√dhā (धा, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having placed)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• क्षणम्: for a moment
• क्षणम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; काल-परिमाण (accusative of duration)

• ध्यानपरः: intent on meditation
• ध्यानपरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyāna (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ध्याने परः = devoted to meditation)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having become)

• तपस्या: austerity; penance
• तपस्या: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘तपस्’ शब्दस्य स्त्री-रूपम्

• इव: as if; like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक (comparative particle)

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दधौ: placed; fixed
• दधौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhā (धा, धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced narrator for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī / Ānandakānana (episode locus)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu reverently bows, symbolically placing Śiva’s command upon his crown, then sits in poised meditation—still, radiant, tapas-like intensity in a sacred grove setting.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śiva’s command (ājñā, implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True greatness is shown by humility and disciplined contemplation—accepting divine instruction and turning inward through dhyāna and tapas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not explicitly; the verse continues the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative current centered on Kāśī’s sacred atmosphere.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditation (dhyāna) and an austerity-like resolve (tapas) are indicated as the immediate spiritual response.