Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

विदलोत्पल संज्ञाभ्यां दृप्ताभ्यां वरतो विधेः । तृणीकृतत्रिजगती पुरुषाभ्यां स्वदोर्बलात्

Transliteration

vidalotpala saṃjñābhyāṃ dṛptābhyāṃ varato vidheḥ | tṛṇīkṛtatrijagatī puruṣābhyāṃ svadorbalāt

Translation

വിദല, ഉത്പല എന്ന പേരുള്ള ആ രണ്ടു ദർപ്പികൾ, വിധാതാവായ ബ്രഹ്മാവിൽ നിന്ന് വരം നേടി, സ്വന്തം ഭുജബലത്തിൽ ത്രിലോകത്തെയും പുല്ലുപോലെ തുച്ഛമായി കരുതി।

Word by Word

• विदलोत्पल: Vidalotpala (name)
• विदलोत्पल: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदल + उत्पल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (नामरूप), प्रातिपदिक used as name in compound; ‘विदलोत्पल’ = “split-lotus” (कर्मधारय)

• संज्ञाभ्याम्: by the two names
• संज्ञाभ्याम्: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन; “by/with the two names”

• दृप्ताभ्याम्: by the two proud ones
• दृप्ताभ्याम्: Karaṇa/Hetu (Instrument/Agency/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृप् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), तृतीया, द्विवचन; “by the two proud (ones)”

• वरतः: of the excellent one
• वरतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; “of the excellent/best”

• विधेः: of Vidhī (Brahmā)
• विधेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; (Brahmā)

• तृणीकृत: made like grass, trivialized
• तृणीकृत: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृण + कृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) from causative/denominative sense “to make (like) grass”, प्रातिपदिक used in compound

• त्रि: three
• त्रि: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक प्रातिपदिक used in compound

• जगत्: world
• जगत्: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक used in compound

• ई: (the) three worlds
• ई: Karma (Object within compound/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ई (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; ‘त्रिजगती’ = “the three worlds” (द्विगु/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः), here used in compound with तृणीकृत

• पुरुषाभ्याम्: by the two persons/men
• पुरुषाभ्याम्: Karaṇa/Hetu (Instrument/Agency/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, द्विवचन

• स्व: own
• स्व: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रातिपदिक used in compound

• दोः: arm
• दोः: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोस्/दोः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक used in compound; “arm”

• बलात्: from (their) strength
• बलात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; “from/owing to strength”

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two daityas, Vidala and Utpala, exude pride; their posture and weapons suggest they consider the three worlds as straw; a faint aura of Brahmā’s boon around them contrasts with the superior radiance of the Goddess’s domain.

Characters & Entities

• Vidala
• Utpala
• Brahmā (Vidhātṛ)
• Three worlds (Trailokya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Boons and power, when joined with pride, become instruments of adharma; the Purāṇic lesson is humility and alignment with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kāśīkhaṇḍa, the narrative supports Kāśī’s sacred status as the arena where divine justice restores balance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse identifies the antagonists and their overreaching pride.