Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

वाक्याच्छतधृतेस्तस्मात्तस्मै दत्ता मयानघे । न जाने तं विरूपाक्षमुक्षगं विषभक्षिणम्

Transliteration

vākyācchatadhṛtestasmāttasmai dattā mayānaghe | na jāne taṃ virūpākṣamukṣagaṃ viṣabhakṣiṇam

Translation

Wahai yang tidak bercela, kerana kata-kata Śatadhṛti (Brahmā), aku telah menyerahkan engkau kepadanya. Namun aku tidak mengenal-Nya—Virūpākṣa, yang berteman lembu, yang menelan racun.

Word by Word

• वाक्यात्: from (his) statement/word
• वाक्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• शतधृतेः: of Śatadhṛti
• शतधृतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतधृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• तस्मात्: from him/therefore
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• दत्ता: given
• दत्ता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अहं’ कर्तृक-प्रयोगे कर्मणि-भावः

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अनघे: O sinless one
• अनघे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Modifier (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• जाने: I know
• जाने: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

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

• विरूपाक्षम्: the odd-eyed one
• विरूपाक्षम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरूप + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक); विरूपाक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (विरूपे अक्षिणी यस्य सः)

• उक्षगम्: associated with a bull (bull-rider)
• उक्षगम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उक्ष + ग (प्रातिपदिक); उक्षग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (उक्षः गच्छति/उक्षेण गच्छति इति—‘bull-going/with bull’)

• विषभक्षिणम्: poison-eating
• विषभक्षिणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष + भक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विषं भक्षयति इति)

Speaker

Dakṣa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī / Viśvanātha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A speaker confesses ignorance of the bridegroom’s true divinity: Śiva as Virūpākṣa with Nandin nearby, a faint blue-throat/poison motif, set against the spiritual aura of Kāśī.

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣa
• Brahmā (Śatadhṛti)
• Śiva
• Virūpākṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Divine may appear paradoxical—Śiva’s fearsome signs (poison-drinking, strange eyes) are marks of cosmic compassion and power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred context, but the verse itself does not name a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is narrative explanation and theological identification.