Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 160

Devanagari script

विरिंचिं सारथिं कृत्वा कृत्वा विष्णुं च पत्त्रिणम् । रथचक्रे पुष्पवंतौ प्रतोदं प्रणवात्मकम्

Transliteration

viriṃciṃ sārathiṃ kṛtvā kṛtvā viṣṇuṃ ca pattriṇam | rathacakre puṣpavaṃtau pratodaṃ praṇavātmakam

Translation

വിരിഞ്ചി (ബ്രഹ്മാ)യെ സാരഥിയാക്കി, വിഷ്ണുവിനെ പത്രിണം (ധ്വജ/വാഹനചിഹ്നം) ആക്കി; രഥചക്രങ്ങൾ പുഷ്പപൂർണ്ണവും, പ്രതോദം പ്രണവ (ഓം)സ്വരൂപവുമായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

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

• सारथिम्: charioteer
• सारथिम्: Karma (Object complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); पुनरुक्ति (second action)

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पत्रिणम्: winged one/bird
• पत्रिणम्: Karma (Object complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष्य-रूपेण (as predicate noun: 'as one with wings/feathers')

• रथचक्रे: on the two chariot-wheels
• रथचक्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ + चक्र (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; तत्पुरुष: रथस्य चक्रे (the two wheels of the chariot)

• पुष्पवन्तौ: flower-filled/with flowers
• पुष्पवन्तौ: Karta (Qualifier of locus)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्पवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण (implicit dual nouns: wheels)

• प्रतोदम्: goad/whip
• प्रतोदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतोद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रणवात्मकम्: of the nature of the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवात्मकम्: Karma (Object qualifier: pratodam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणव + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: प्रणवः आत्मा यस्य (of the nature of Oṃ)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśī-khaṇḍa often Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (typical frame; not stated in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant divine chariot in the sky: Brahmā as charioteer holding reins; Viṣṇu depicted as Garuḍa-like emblem/standard or bird-form adjunct; wheels overflowing with blossoms; a luminous goad shaped like the Oṃ glyph; the city of Kāśī below with the Gaṅgā ribboning through.

Characters & Entities

• Viriñci (Brahmā)
• Viṣṇu
• Praṇava (Oṃ)
• Ratha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It uses cosmic symbolism—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Praṇava—to portray divine sovereignty and the sacral power of Oṃ.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s overarching sacred geography of Kāśī, though this verse itself is primarily theological and imagistic.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; it highlights Praṇava (Oṃ), foundational to japa and Vedic recitation.