Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

काशीस्थितैर्यतो दर्शि ध्वजो मेषवृषलांछनः । वृषध्वजेन नाम्नातः स्थास्याम्यत्र पितामहाः

Transliteration

kāśīsthitairyato darśi dhvajo meṣavṛṣalāṃchanaḥ | vṛṣadhvajena nāmnātaḥ sthāsyāmyatra pitāmahāḥ

Translation

കാശിയിൽ വസിക്കുന്നവർ എന്റെ ധ്വജത്തിൽ മേഷ-വൃഷഭലാഞ്ഛനം ദർശിക്കുന്നു; അതുകൊണ്ട്, ഹേ പിതാമഹന്മാരേ, ഞാൻ ഇവിടെ ‘വൃഷധ്വജ’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധനായി വസിക്കും।

Word by Word

• काशी: Kāśī
• काशी: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपद (in Kāśī) / अव्ययवत् समासपूर्वपदम्

• स्थितैः: by those residing
• स्थितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (past participle/क्त) ‘स्थित’ (standing/residing), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘काशीस्थितैः’ इति विशेष्य (नरैः)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कारण/यत्-सम्बन्धसूचक (because/wherefrom)

• दर्शि: is seen / visible
• दर्शि: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + इन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (इन्-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘दर्शिन्’ = visible/seen; विधेय-विशेषणम् (ध्वजः)

• ध्वजः: banner, flag
• ध्वजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मेषवृषलाञ्छनः: having the emblem of a ram and a bull
• मेषवृषलाञ्छनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेष- वृष- लाञ्छन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘मेषश्च वृषश्च’ इति द्वन्द्व + ‘लाञ्छन’ (mark/emblem) तत्पुरुष; समस्तपदम् विशेषणम् (ध्वजः)

• वृषध्वजेन: by/with (the name) Vṛṣadhvaja
• वृषध्वजेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष-ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘वृषस्य ध्वजः’)

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिणाम/हेत्वर्थक (therefore/for this reason)

• स्थास्यामि: I shall stay
• स्थास्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• पितामहाः: O Pitāmahas / venerable ancestors
• पितामहाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्भोधनार्थे अपि प्रयुज्यते (O grandsires)

Speaker

Vṛṣadhvaja (i.e., Śiva as ‘Bull-bannered’ Lord; self-identification in the verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vṛṣadhvaja-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pitṛs (addressed as ‘pitāmahaḥ’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On a Kāśī ghat stands a tall banner-staff; the banner bears a ram and a bull insignia. Pilgrims gaze upward; the Lord’s presence is implied as a radiant aura, while pitṛs are invoked in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Vṛṣadhvaja
• Dhvajā (banner)
• Pitāmahas (ancestors)
• Bull (vṛṣa)
• Ram (meṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine presence becomes locally accessible through name, form, and sign—making Kāśī a living field of darśana.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vṛṣadhvaja—presented as a named sacred locus/tīrtha within Kāśī connected to Śiva’s emblem.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it emphasizes darśana (beholding the divine sign) as a devotional act in Kāśī.