Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

पपात दंडवद्भूमौ दृष्ट्वा तं गरुडध्वजः । देवाश्च मुनयश्चैव देवनार्यः समंततः

Transliteration

papāta daṃḍavadbhūmau dṛṣṭvā taṃ garuḍadhvajaḥ | devāśca munayaścaiva devanāryaḥ samaṃtataḥ

Translation

അവനെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ ഗരുഡധ്വജൻ ദണ്ഡവത് ആയി ഭൂമിയിൽ വീണു; ചുറ്റുമുള്ള ദേവന്മാരും മുനിമാരും ദേവനാരികളും അതുപോലെ വീണു നമസ്കരിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• पपात: fell down
• पपात: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दण्डवत्: like a staff; fully prostrate
• दण्डवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: 'like a staff', i.e., prostrate)

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/absolutive)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गरुडध्वजः: Garuḍa-bannered (Viṣṇu)
• गरुडध्वजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (he whose banner is Garuḍa; epithet of Viṣṇu)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Nipata (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Nipata (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, also
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• देवनार्यः: the divine women (wives of the gods)
• देवनार्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (wives/women of the gods)

• समन्ततः: from all sides
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana (Spatial/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb: 'on all sides')

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhairava/Mahākāla darśana (as supreme moment)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wide tableau: Viṣṇu with Garuḍa emblem drops into full daṇḍavat; around him devas, ṛṣis, and apsarās mirror the gesture in concentric rings, while Bhairava stands central, towering and radiant with fierce aura.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍadhvaja (Viṣṇu)
• Bhairava/Mahākāla
• Devas
• Munis
• Devanāryaḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True greatness is recognized through humility; even the highest deities model reverence when confronted with divine majesty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode supports Kāśī’s Mahātmya by elevating Bhairava/Mahākāla, key figures in Kāśī’s sacred guardianship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Daṇḍavat-praṇāma (full prostration) is exemplified as an act of worship and surrender.