Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

यं स्तोतुं नाधिगच्छंति वाचो वाचस्पतेरपि । तमीष्टे क इह स्तोतुं भक्तिरत्र बलीयसी

Transliteration

yaṃ stotuṃ nādhigacchaṃti vāco vācaspaterapi | tamīṣṭe ka iha stotuṃ bhaktiratra balīyasī

Translation

Bahkan kata-kata Vācaspati, tuan bagi tutur kata, pun tidak mampu mencapai-Nya untuk memuji-Nya sebagaimana hakikat-Nya. Siapakah di sini dapat berhasrat menyanjung-Nya? Namun dalam hal ini, bhakti-lah yang lebih perkasa.

Word by Word

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• स्तोतुम्: to praise
• स्तोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), √स्तु—स्तौति

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अधिगच्छन्ति: reach/attain
• अधिगच्छन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद; √गम् with उपसर्ग अधि

• वाचः: words/speech
• वाचः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वाचस्पतेः: of Vācaspati (lord of speech)
• वाचस्पतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाचस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक-अव्यय (also/even)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• ईष्टे: desires/wishes
• ईष्टे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; √इष्—इच्छति/ईष्टे (desires)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: here)

• स्तोतुम्: to praise
• स्तोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive)

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अत्र: here/in this case
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here/in this matter)

• बलीयसी: stronger/more powerful
• बलीयसी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); तुलनात्मक-प्रत्यय (Comparative): बलीयस्

Speaker

Agnibiṃdu

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśīkṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vācaspati (Bṛhaspati) stands with a scroll or rosary, humbled; the devotee’s simple folded hands glow with devotion, suggesting bhakti’s superiority over eloquence.

Characters & Entities

• Vācaspati (Bṛhaspati)
• Govinda/Viṣṇu (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

God transcends language; sincere devotion accomplishes what eloquence cannot.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of a Kāśī-centered episode, with the broader sanctity of Pañcanadā in the surrounding context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual; it validates heartfelt bhakti as the essential offering.