Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

आज्ञां देहि पितः किं ते करवै दास्यमुत्तमम् । ब्रह्मांडमेककवलं करवाणि त्वदाज्ञया

Transliteration

ājñāṃ dehi pitaḥ kiṃ te karavai dāsyamuttamam | brahmāṃḍamekakavalaṃ karavāṇi tvadājñayā

Translation

ആജ്ഞ നൽകണമേ, ഹേ പിതാവേ—ഞാൻ അങ്ങേക്കു ഏതു പരമ ദാസ്യം ചെയ്യണം? അങ്ങയുടെ ആജ്ഞയാൽ സർവ്വ ബ്രഹ്മാണ്ഡത്തെയും ഒരൊറ്റ കവളമാക്കാൻ ഞാൻ സന്നദ്ധനാണ്।

Word by Word

• आज्ञाम्: command, order
• आज्ञाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• देहि: give
• देहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperative, 2nd person, Singular)

• पितः: O father
• पितः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (सम्बोधन), एकवचन (Masculine, Vocative, Singular)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• ते: to you / of you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Gen./Dat., Singular)

• करवै: should I do
• करवै: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (सम्भावना/विनय), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Optative, 1st person, Singular)

• दास्यम्: service, servitude
• दास्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• उत्तमम्: excellent, best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adjective of दास्यम्)

• ब्रह्माण्डम्: the cosmic egg, universe
• ब्रह्माण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + अण्ड (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• एककवलम्: as a single morsel
• एककवलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + कवल (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adjective of ब्रह्माण्डम्)

• करवाणि: let me do / I shall do
• करवाणि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/प्रतिज्ञा), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperative, 1st person, Singular)

• त्वदाज्ञया: by your command
• त्वदाज्ञया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक) + आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Singular)

Speaker

A powerful devotee/warrior addressing a father-like lord (context suggests a subordinate boasting of capability; exact identity not in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mighty attendant/devotee stands before the Lord addressed as ‘Father’, hands folded yet posture heroic, proclaiming readiness to swallow the cosmos at the Lord’s command; Kāśī’s sacred aura glows in the background.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion expresses itself as readiness to serve the Lord’s will, placing divine command above personal limits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader narrative belongs to the Kāśī-khaṇḍa (Vārāṇasī/Kāśī Māhātmya), though this verse itself is a personal vow rather than a direct tirtha-description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is prescribed in this verse.