Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

ततस्तु सौगतं रूपं शिश्राय श्रीपतिः स्वयम् । अतीव सुंदरतरं त्रैलोक्यस्यापिमोहनम्

Transliteration

tatastu saugataṃ rūpaṃ śiśrāya śrīpatiḥ svayam | atīva suṃdarataraṃ trailokyasyāpimohanam

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ശ്രീപതി സ്വയം ‘സൗഗത’ രൂപം ധരിച്ചു—അത്യന്തം സുന്ദരം, ത്രിലോകത്തെയും മോഹിപ്പിക്കുന്നതു।

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kala (Temporal marker/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/हेतु-अव्यय (then/thereafter)

• तु: indeed, but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• सौगतम्: Buddhist (Saugata)
• सौगतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौगत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; रूपम् इति विशेषण

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिश्राय: resorted to, assumed
• शिश्राय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रि (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्रीपतिः: Śrīpati (Vishnu)
• श्रीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + पति (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘lord of Śrī’ = Viṣṇu)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta-visheshaṇa (Emphasis on subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: आत्मवाचक-अव्यय (reflexive emphatic: ‘himself’)

• अतीव: exceedingly
• अतीव: Kriya/Guṇa-visheshaṇa (Intensifier/अतिशय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अतिशय-अव्यय (intensifier adverb)

• सुन्दरतरम्: more beautiful
• सुन्दरतरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative: ‘more beautiful’); रूपम् इति विशेषण

• त्रैलोक्यस्य: of the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + लोक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (‘three worlds’)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवाद-अव्यय (particle: ‘even/also’)

• मोहनम्: bewitching, enchanting
• मोहनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; रूपम् इति विशेषण (causing delusion/attraction)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmakṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni (unnamed sage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śrīpati transforms into an exquisitely beautiful ‘Saugata’ form, captivating the three worlds—an intentional, luminous metamorphosis in the Kāśī sacred sphere.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu (Śrīpati)
• Trailokya
• Saugata (Buddha-associated form)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The divine may adopt forms suited to a time and context, while the underlying sacred purpose remains aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī region and its environs, where the narrative locates Viṣṇu’s extraordinary manifestations.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse is descriptive, highlighting a divine manifestation rather than a practice.