Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

देवत्रयं स भगवानंशुमाली दिवाकरः । सर्वेषां महसां राशिः कालकालप्रवर्तकः

Transliteration

devatrayaṃ sa bhagavānaṃśumālī divākaraḥ | sarveṣāṃ mahasāṃ rāśiḥ kālakālapravartakaḥ

Translation

കിരണമാലാധാരിയായ ദിവാകരൻ ആ ഭഗവാൻ സൂര്യൻ തന്നെയാണ് ദേവത്രയം; അവൻ സർവ്വ തേജസ്സുകളുടെ നിധിയും കാലത്തെയും അതിന്റെ ചക്രങ്ങളെയും പ്രവർത്തിപ്പിക്കുന്നവനും ആകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• देव-त्रयम्: the triad of gods
• देव-त्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रयो देवाः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अंशुमाली: the ray-garlanded (sun)
• अंशुमाली: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंशु + मालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अंशूनां माली)

• दिवाकरः: Divākara (sun)
• दिवाकरः: Karta (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवा + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दिवायाः करः/दिवसस्य कर्ता)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• महसाम्: of splendors/lights
• महसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• राशिः: a heap/mass
• राशिः: Karta (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• काल-काल-प्रवर्तकः: the instigator of Time, the Time of time
• काल-काल-प्रवर्तकः: Karta (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + काल + प्रवर्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कालस्य कालः—महाकालः; तस्य प्रवर्तकः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Gaṅgā ghāṭas at sunrise)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand solar icon: Sūrya with a garland of rays, illuminating the worlds; beneath, the Gaṅgā ghāṭas of Kāśī at dawn with devotees offering arghya, emphasizing time’s turning and splendor’s treasury.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya (Divākara)
• Aṃśumālī
• Devatraya (Trimūrti)
• Kāla (Time)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sūrya is revered as a cosmic manifestation of divinity who sustains order, brilliance, and the flow of time.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate focus is Sūrya’s greatness; the broader textual setting is Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite here; it prepares the ground for solar worship described in subsequent verses.