Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

विद्याधरी विशोका च वयोवृंदनिषेविता । बहूदका बलवती व्योमस्था विबुधप्रिया

Transliteration

vidyādharī viśokā ca vayovṛṃdaniṣevitā | bahūdakā balavatī vyomasthā vibudhapriyā

Translation

അവൾ വിദ്യാധാരിണിയും ശോകഹാരിണിയും ആകുന്നു. യുഗയുഗങ്ങളിലെ ജനസമൂഹങ്ങൾ സേവിക്കുന്നവൾ; ജീവദായകമായ ധാരാളം ജലസമ്പത്തുള്ളവൾ; ബലവതി; വ്യോമസ്ഥ; ദേവന്മാർക്ക് പ്രിയങ്കരി.

Word by Word

• विद्याधरी: she who bears/possesses the Vidyādharas (or: a female Vidyādhara)
• विद्याधरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्याधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—विद्याधराणां (षष्ठी) धारी इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• विशोका: sorrowless
• विशोका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-शोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; निःशोका (free from sorrow)

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

• वयोवृंदनिषेविता: served/attended by groups of the aged
• वयोवृंदनिषेविता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वयस् + वृन्द + नि-सेवित (कृदन्त; √सेव् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त) ‘सेवित’; समासः—वयः-वृन्देन निषेविता इति तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः

• बहूदका: having much water; water-abundant
• बहूदका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—बहु उदकं यस्याः/यत्र सा (बह्वुदका) कर्मधारयः

• बलवती: strong
• बलवती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessed of strength)

• व्योमस्था: dwelling in the sky
• व्योमस्था: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्योमन् + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—व्योमनि स्था इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः

• विबुधप्रिया: beloved of the gods
• विबुधप्रिया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विबुध + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—विबुधानां प्रिया इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā in Kāśī

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṅgā as a radiant Devī above the river, attended by devas; below, Kāśī ghāṭas with pilgrims offering lamps; the river shown as abundant, powerful, and sorrow-removing.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Varanasi)
• Devas (Vibudhas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Knowledge and devotion remove grief; divine power sustains both inner clarity and outer well-being.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kāśī-māhātmya frame is primary; the ‘abundant waters’ language resonates with Kāśī’s tīrthas and ghāṭas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; implied are learning/recitation (vidyā) and worship praised by devas.