Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

विष्णो वैकुंठनिलय बाणारे विष्टरश्रवः । विष्वक्सेन विराधारे वनमालिन्वनप्रिय

Transliteration

viṣṇo vaikuṃṭhanilaya bāṇāre viṣṭaraśravaḥ | viṣvaksena virādhāre vanamālinvanapriya

Translation

ഹേ വിഷ്ണോ, വൈകുണ്ഠനിലയാ; ബാണാസുരവൈരിയേ; സർവ്വത്ര പ്രസിദ്ധനേ; ഹേ വിഷ്വക്സേന; വിരാധസംഹാരകാ; വനമാലാധരാ, വനപ്രിയാ!

Word by Word

• viṣṇo: O Viṣṇu
• viṣṇo: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• vaikuṃṭhanilaya: O dweller in Vaikuṇṭha
• vaikuṃṭhanilaya: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaikuṃṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + nilaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वैकुण्ठे निलयः/वैकुण्ठ-निलयः)

• bāṇāre: O enemy of Bāṇa
• bāṇāre: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (बाणस्य अरिः)

• viṣṭaraśravaḥ: (he who is) of widespread fame
• viṣṭaraśravaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṭara (प्रातिपदिक) + śravas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विष्टरे श्रवः/यशः यस्य)

• viṣvaksena: O Viṣvaksena (one with armies everywhere)
• viṣvaksena: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣvak (अव्ययवत्/प्रातिपदिक) + sena (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विष्वक् सेना यस्य/सर्वतो सेना)

• virādhāre: O enemy of Virādha
• virādhāre: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virādha (प्रातिपदिक) + ari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विराधस्य अरिः)

• vanamālin: O wearer of a forest-garland
• vanamālin: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक) + mālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वनमालां धारयति)

• vanapriya: O lover of the forest
• vanapriya: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वनं प्रियं यस्य)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu as the forest-loving Lord, garlanded with wildflowers, stands with attendants (Viṣvaksena) while scenes of Bāṇa’s defeat and Virādha’s destruction appear as small narrative vignettes; above, a glimpse of Vaikuṇṭha radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Vaikuṇṭha
• Bāṇa
• Viṣvaksena
• Virādha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hari is remembered as both transcendent (Vaikuṇṭha-dweller) and immanent in sacred narrative—His names carry purifying power through remembrance of His deeds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter’s frame is Kāśī; this verse itself foregrounds Vaikuṇṭha as Viṣṇu’s divine abode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the practice is devotional chanting/recitation of sanctifying names.