Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणः सृष्टिकर्त्तृत्वं दत्तं तेनैव शंभुना । इंद्रादयो लोकपाला जाता शंभोरनुग्रहात्

Transliteration

brahmaṇaḥ sṛṣṭikarttṛtvaṃ dattaṃ tenaiva śaṃbhunā | iṃdrādayo lokapālā jātā śaṃbhoranugrahāt

Translation

ब्रह्माला सृष्टिकर्तेपण तेच शंभूंनी दिले; आणि इंद्रादी लोकपाल शंभूच्या अनुग्रहाने उत्पन्न झाले।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• सृष्टिकर्तृत्वम्: the role/state of being the creator (of creation)
• सृष्टिकर्तृत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि + कर्तृत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सृष्टेः कर्तृत्वम् = the state of being creator of creation)

• दत्तम्: was given
• दत्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः (given)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• एव: indeed, alone
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• शम्भुना: by Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुना: Karana (Agent/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• इन्द्रादयः: Indra and others
• इन्द्रादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; समासः: इन्द्र-आदि (इन्द्रः आदिः येषाम्)

• लोकपालाः: guardians of the worlds
• लोकपालाः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लोकानां पालाः)

• जाताः: became, were born
• जाताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; बहुवचन; विधेयभावे (became)

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• अनुग्रहात्: from (his) grace; due to favor
• अनुग्रहात्: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन; हेतौ (cause/reason)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Śambhu-anugraha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kāśī-māhātmya audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śambhu enthroned in luminous stillness, extending a gesture of boon-giving; Brahmā receives the mandate of creation, while Indra and other Lokapālas arise in their directions with their emblems, forming a mandala of cosmic guardianship.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Brahmā
• Indra
• Lokapālas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All cosmic authorities and functions are depicted as dependent on Śiva’s anugraha (grace).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the Kāśīkhaṇḍa theme: Kāśī is Śiva’s own domain where his supreme grace is celebrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is specified; the verse is theological, describing Śiva’s bestowal of cosmic roles.