Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

विष्वक्चमूस्तार्क्ष्य रथवनमालिन्नरोत्तम । अधोक्षज क्षमाधार पद्मनाभ जलेशय

Transliteration

viṣvakcamūstārkṣya rathavanamālinnarottama | adhokṣaja kṣamādhāra padmanābha jaleśaya

Translation

ഹേ വിശ്വവ്യാപി സേനാധരാ, ഗരുഡരഥാരൂഢാ; ഹേ വനമാലാധാരീ, പരമപുരുഷാ! ഹേ അധോക്ഷജാ, ഭൂമിയുടെ ആധാരമേ; ഹേ പദ്മനാഭാ, ജലശായീ പ്രഭോ!

Word by Word

• विष्वक्चमूस्तार्क्ष्य: O Viṣvakcamūstārkṣya (epithet)
• विष्वक्चमूस्तार्क्ष्य: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्वक्-चमू-स्तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (विष्वक् सर्वतः; चमू सेना; स्तार्क्ष्य गरुडः) — ‘सर्वसेनागारुड’ इत्यर्थे नाम

• रथवनमालिन्: O one adorned with a garland (connected with chariot/forest)
• रथवनमालिन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ-वन-मालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रथः/वनम्; मालिन् = माला यस्य)

• नरोत्तम: O best of men
• नरोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (उत्तमः नरः)

• अधोक्षज: O Adhokṣaja (beyond the senses)
• अधोक्षज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधः-अक्ष-ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (अधः कृतानि अक्षाणि/इन्द्रियाणि येन; इन्द्रियगोचरातीतः)

• क्षमाधार: O support of the earth
• क्षमाधार: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमा-धार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (क्षमायाः/पृथिव्याः आधारः)

• पद्मनाभ: O Padmanābha (lotus-naveled)
• पद्मनाभ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म-नाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (पद्मं नाभौ यस्य)

• जलेशय: O one who lies in the waters
• जलेशय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल-शय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जले शयः/शयनं यस्य)

Speaker

Vyāsa (deduced from Adhyāya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Ganga-sannidhi)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim-mind being trained toward mokṣa in Kāśī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vishnu as Padmanābha reclines on the cosmic ocean; from His navel rises the lotus; Garuḍa stands ready as chariot-bearer; the earth rests supported by divine steadiness; a pilgrim in Kāśī contemplates at the riverbank.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa (Tārkṣya)
• Adhokṣaja
• Padmanābha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine is both immanent (supporting the earth) and transcendent (Adhokṣaja), worthy of worship beyond mere sensory understanding.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the narrative setting; the verse functions as devotional praise within Kāśī’s sacred discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the passage supports contemplative praise (stuti) and remembrance of cosmic forms.