Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

किमिदं देवदेवेन सर्वज्ञेन त्वया विभो । क्रियते जगतां धात्रा सर्वपापहराऽव्यय

Transliteration

kimidaṃ devadevena sarvajñena tvayā vibho | kriyate jagatāṃ dhātrā sarvapāpaharā'vyaya

Translation

Wahai Tuhan Yang Mahaagung—Dewa segala dewa, Yang Maha Mengetahui, Pemelihara sekalian alam, Penghapus segala dosa, Yang tidak binasa—apakah gerangan yang sedang Engkau lakukan ini?

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• देवदेवेन: by the god of gods
• देवदेवेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case/करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां देवः)

• सर्वज्ञेन: by the omniscient (one)
• सर्वज्ञेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case/करण), एकवचन; adjective qualifying implied 'त्वम्/विभु'

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (common), तृतीया (3rd case/करण), एकवचन; 2nd person pronoun

• विभो: O Lord
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case/vocative), एकवचन

• क्रियते: is done / is being performed
• क्रियते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• जगताम्: of the worlds
• जगताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचन

• धात्रा: by the creator/sustainer
• धात्रा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case/करण), एकवचन

• सर्वपापहरा: O remover of all sins
• सर्वपापहरा: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + पाप + हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case/vocative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां पापानां हरः)

• अव्यय: O imperishable one
• अव्यय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case/vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Viṣṇu (Hṛṣīkeśa) addressing Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Primary listener(s) of Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse (traditionally sages/Śaunaka line); immediate interlocutors in-scene: Viṣṇu addressing Śiva

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu, filled with wonder, addresses Śiva with epithets—Deva-deva, Sarvajña, Dhātṛ—questioning a mysterious act; the setting evokes Kāśī’s sanctity and Śiva’s austere presence.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu (Hṛṣīkeśa)
• Śiva (Devadeva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine actions may appear puzzling; inquiry made with reverence opens understanding of dharma and cosmic purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is within Kāśīkhaṇḍa; the broader glorification is of Kāśī as the stage of Śiva’s liberating acts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it introduces a theological question about Śiva’s conduct.