Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

स्वधर्मपालके तस्मिन्दिवोदासे धरापतौ । निश्चितागमनं ज्ञात्वा देवस्याहमिह स्थितः

Transliteration

svadharmapālake tasmindivodāse dharāpatau | niścitāgamanaṃ jñātvā devasyāhamiha sthitaḥ

Translation

സ്വധർമ്മം പാലിക്കുന്ന ആ ധരാപതി ദിവോദാസൻ ഭരിച്ചിരുന്നപ്പോൾ, ദേവന്റെ നിശ്ചിത ആഗമനവിധി അറിഞ്ഞ് ഞാൻ ഇവിടെ തന്നെ നിലകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• स्व: one’s own
• स्व: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्/सर्वनाम-विशेषण; 'धर्म' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• धर्म: duty
• धर्म: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-पूर्वपदभावे; 'पालके' इत्यस्य कर्म/विषय

• पालके: in the protector
• पालके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; 'स्वधर्मपालके' (in the protector of his own dharma)

• तस्मिन्: in that (king)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; निर्देश (that one)

• दिवोदासे: in Divodāsa
• दिवोदासे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवोदास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• धरापतौ: in the lord of the earth (king)
• धरापतौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धरायाः पतिः)

• निश्चित: certain/decided
• निश्चित: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चित (प्रातिपदिक/क्त-निष्पन्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; 'आगमनम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• आगमनम्: arrival/coming
• आगमनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; 'ज्ञात्वा' इत्यस्य कर्म

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund)

• देवस्य: of the god
• देवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता

• इह: here
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (Adverbial location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) = here

• स्थितः: (am) stationed/staying
• स्थितः: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) प्रयोगः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; 'I am stationed/remained' (predicate)

Speaker

Arka (Sūrya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śambhu (Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Arka recounts the era of Divodāsa: a righteous king on throne protecting dharma; above, a subtle sign of Śiva’s destined arrival; Arka stands as witness, waiting.

Characters & Entities

• Divodāsa
• Śiva (Deva)
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous kingship (svadharma) operates within a larger divine plan; cosmic beings align with Śiva’s decree.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied locus of the kingship and the Lord’s destined arrival.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is historical-theological narration tied to Kāśī’s sacred destiny.