Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

वेदवेद्यस्वरूपाय नमो वेदप्रियाय च । वेदाय वेदगदिने सदाचाराध्वगामिने

Transliteration

vedavedyasvarūpāya namo vedapriyāya ca | vedāya vedagadine sadācārādhvagāmine

Translation

वेदांनी वेद्य अशा स्वरूपाला नमस्कार; वेदप्रियाला नमस्कार। जो स्वतः वेद आहे, वेदाचा उद्घोष करणारा आहे, आणि सदाचाराच्या मार्गाने नेणारा आहे—त्याला नमस्कार।

Word by Word

• वेदवेद्यस्वरूपाय: to him whose true form is known by the Vedas
• वेदवेद्यस्वरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + वेद्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to him whose nature is knowable by the Vedas'

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — नमस्कारार्थकः

• वेदप्रियाय: to the lover of the Vedas
• वेदप्रियाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to the Veda-loving one'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक)

• वेदाय: to the Veda (embodied)
• वेदाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to the Veda' (as Lord/embodiment)

• वेदगदिने: to the utterer of the Veda
• वेदगदिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + गदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to the one who speaks/utters the Veda' (गदिन् = speaker)

• सदाचाराध्वगामिने: to the follower of the path of righteous conduct
• सदाचाराध्वगामिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदाचार (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्वगामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to the one who follows the path of good conduct'

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm Viṣṇu as embodiment of Veda, surrounded by ṛṣis holding palm-leaf manuscripts; a path (adhvan) extends forward symbolizing sadācāra; subtle Kāśī ghāṭa architecture in the distance.

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Viṣṇu (implied as Veda-vedya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion aligns with śāstra: the Lord is known through the Vedas and guides devotees into sadācāra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa context sanctifies Kāśī as a seat of dharma and scripture; the verse itself emphasizes Vedic revelation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; it recommends adherence to sadācāra and reverence for Vedic teaching.