Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

विश्वकर्मन्व्रज गुरोः शासनाय यतस्व च । गुरुभक्तिकृतो यस्मान्मद्भक्ता नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

viśvakarmanvraja guroḥ śāsanāya yatasva ca | gurubhaktikṛto yasmānmadbhaktā nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

ഹേ വിശ്വകർമ്മാ, ഗുരുവിന്റെ ആജ്ഞ നടപ്പാക്കാൻ പോയി പരിശ്രമിക്ക; ഗുരുഭക്തിയാൽ രൂപപ്പെട്ടവൻ തീർച്ചയായും എന്റെ ഭക്തൻ—ഇതിൽ സംശയമില്ല।

Word by Word

• विश्वकर्मन्: O Viśvakarman
• विश्वकर्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• व्रज: go
• व्रज: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गुरोः: of the guru
• गुरोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• शासनाय: for the command/obedience
• शासनाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान-प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• यतस्व: strive, make effort
• यतस्व: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √यत् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• गुरुभक्तिकृतः: made (so) by devotion to the guru
• गुरुभक्तिकृतः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु-भक्ति-कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गुरौ भक्तिः येन कृतः/भक्त्या कृतः)

• यस्मात्: because (of which), since
• यस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• मद्भक्ताः: my devotees
• मद्भक्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्-भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मम भक्ताः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अत्र: here, in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Place/Topic)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: here/in this matter)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject of nominal clause/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva (deduced; addressing Viśvakarman in temple-building context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viśvakarman

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva (or a revered guru-figure) instructs Viśvakarman to carry out the guru’s command; Viśvakarman departs with tools and plans, embodying devotion through skilled action.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvakarman
• Guru (as principle)
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion to the Guru is inseparable from devotion to God; serving the Guru’s instruction is itself worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kāśī-māhātmya context frames the command as part of establishing/beautifying sacred Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Carrying out the guru’s śāsana (instruction), especially in sacred service such as constructing or arranging a shrine.