Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

पूर्णे युगसहस्रेऽथ भित्त्वा पातालसप्तकम् । उदतिष्ठत्पुरोज्योतिर्विद्योतित हरिन्मुखम्

Transliteration

pūrṇe yugasahasre'tha bhittvā pātālasaptakam | udatiṣṭhatpurojyotirvidyotita harinmukham

Translation

പിന്നീട് സഹസ്രയുഗങ്ങൾ പൂർത്തിയായപ്പോൾ, സപ്തപാതാളങ്ങളെ ഭേദിച്ച് മുന്നിൽ ഒരു ദിവ്യജ്യോതി ഉദിച്ചു; അത് വിധാതാവായ ബ്രഹ്മാവിന്റെ ഹരിതമുഖത്തെ ദീപ്തമാക്കി।

Word by Word

• पूर्णे: when completed
• पूर्णे: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरणे—‘when (it was) completed’

• युग-सहस्रे: in a thousand yugas
• युग-सहस्रे: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (युगानां सहस्रम्)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then)

• भित्त्वा: having pierced
• भित्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्यय; ‘having split/pierced’

• पाताल-सप्तकम्: the seven netherworlds
• पाताल-सप्तकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक) + सप्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः—‘सप्त पातालानि’

• उदतिष्ठत्: arose, stood up
• उदतिष्ठत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) उपसर्गः उद्-
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• पुरः-ज्योतिः: a light in front / a foremost light
• पुरः-ज्योतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः—‘पुरः’ (in front) + ‘ज्योतिः’ (light) = ‘light in front/foremost light’

• विद्योतितम्: illumined, made to shine
• विद्योतितम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद्योतय् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (हरिन्मुखम्)

• हरिन्-मुखम्: Hari’s face
• हरिन्-मुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हरेः मुखम्)

Speaker

Śiva (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Oṃkāra revelation-site in Ānandavana

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After a thousand yugas, a blazing column-like radiance rises before Brahmā, piercing the seven pātālas and flooding his greenish-hued face with light.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahmā
• Ānandavana (context)
• Seven Pātālas
• Divine Light (Jyotis)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine revelation is portrayed as an overwhelming jyotis (light) that transcends all realms, responding to sustained spiritual effort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting remains Ānandavana/Kāśī, where the revelatory light appears to Brahmā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse describes the fruit of prolonged tapas culminating in revelation.