Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

धूर्जटिः परिपृछ्येति हृष्टं वैकुंठनायकम् । ब्रह्माणं चापि पप्रच्छ ब्राह्मं तेजः समेधते

Transliteration

dhūrjaṭiḥ paripṛchyeti hṛṣṭaṃ vaikuṃṭhanāyakam | brahmāṇaṃ cāpi papraccha brāhmaṃ tejaḥ samedhate

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ ധൂർജടി (ശിവൻ) ഹർഷിതനായ വൈകുണ്ഠനായകനെ ചോദിച്ച ശേഷം ബ്രഹ്മാവിനെയും ചോദിച്ചു; ബ്രാഹ്മതേജസ് കൂടുതൽ കൂടുതൽ വർദ്ധിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• धूर्जटिः: Dhūrjaṭi (Śiva)
• धूर्जटिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूर्जटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परिपृच्छ्य: having inquired
• परिपृच्छ्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि + प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); उपसर्गः—परि; अर्थः—'having asked'

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-निपात (thus)

• हृष्टम्: pleased
• हृष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वैकुण्ठनायकम्: the lord of Vaikuṇṭha (Viṣṇu)
• वैकुण्ठनायकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकुण्ठ + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—वैकुण्ठस्य नायकः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• पप्रच्छ: he asked
• पप्रच्छ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मम्: brahmic/divine
• ब्राह्मम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तेजः-विशेषण)

• तेजः: splendor/energy
• तेजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समेधते: increases/prospers
• समेधते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + इध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; अर्थः—वर्धते (increases)

Speaker

Narrator (Skanda to Agastya, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (frame; not explicit in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva (Dhūrjaṭi) turns from Viṣṇu (Vaikuṇṭhanāyaka) to Brahmā (Vidhi) in a luminous hall; as questions are asked, Brahmā’s aura brightens visibly.

Characters & Entities

• Dhūrjaṭi (Śiva)
• Vaikuṇṭhanāyaka (Viṣṇu)
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred dialogue among divine powers signifies coordinated preservation of dharma; honoring Brahmā elevates spiritual radiance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The larger discourse belongs to Kāśī’s sacred narration, though this verse focuses on the divine council rather than a named site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative link describing inquiries to Viṣṇu and Brahmā.