Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

सर्वेषां शासकश्चासौ तस्य शास्ता न चापरः । स्वयं सृजति भूतानि स्वयं पाति तथात्ति च

Transliteration

sarveṣāṃ śāsakaścāsau tasya śāstā na cāparaḥ | svayaṃ sṛjati bhūtāni svayaṃ pāti tathātti ca

Translation

ସେଇ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କର ଶାସକ; ତାଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ଅନ୍ୟ କୌଣସି ଶାସ୍ତା ନାହିଁ। ସେଇ ସ୍ୱୟଂ ଭୂତମାନଙ୍କୁ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରନ୍ତି, ସ୍ୱୟଂ ପାଳନ କରନ୍ତି, ଏବଂ ଶେଷେ ସ୍ୱୟଂ ଲୟ କରନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (सामान्य), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शासकः: ruler
• शासकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास् (धातु) → शासक (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्तरि कृदन्त (agent noun); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• असौ: that (he)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शास्ता: governor; chastiser
• शास्ता: Samanaadhikarana (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास् (धातु) → शास्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (agent noun)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक निपात (negation)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• अपरः: another
• अपरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (शास्ता)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (by oneself)

• सृजति: creates
• सृजति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भूतानि: beings
• भूतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक क्रियाविशेषण

• पाति: protects
• पाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus/also)

• अत्ति: consumes; devours
• अत्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta) under Viśveśa’s sovereignty

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Purāṇic audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Triptych-like cosmic scene centered on Viśveśa: from his will arise beings (sṛṣṭi), under his gaze they are sustained (sthiti), and into his radiance they dissolve (saṃhāra), all under a single sovereign presence.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśa (implied)
• Bhūtas (beings/elements)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord is the single ultimate authority who performs creation, protection, and dissolution—encouraging exclusive refuge (śaraṇāgati).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the Kāśī-centered praise of Viśveśvara by describing his universal lordship, though no tirtha-name appears.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a doctrinal statement about divine functions.