Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

वाक्पतिरुवाच । शृण्वगस्ते महाभाग देवागमनकारणम् । धन्योसि कृतकृत्योसि मान्योसि महता मपि

Transliteration

vākpatiruvāca | śṛṇvagaste mahābhāga devāgamanakāraṇam | dhanyosi kṛtakṛtyosi mānyosi mahatā mapi

Translation

ବାକ୍ପତି (ବୃହସ୍ପତି) କହିଲେ—ହେ ମହାଭାଗ ଅଗସ୍ତ୍ୟ, ଦେବମାନଙ୍କ ଆଗମନର କାରଣ ଶୁଣ। ତୁମେ ଧନ୍ୟ, କୃତକୃତ୍ୟ, ଏବଂ ମୋ ପରି ମହାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ମଧ୍ୟ ମାନ୍ୟ।

Word by Word

• वाक्पतिः: Vākpati (lord of speech)
• वाक्पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक् (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vācāḥ patiḥ)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अगस्ते: O Agastya
• अगस्ते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगस्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• महाभाग: O greatly fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महान् (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (महान् भागः यस्य)

• देव: gods
• देव: Sambandha (Genitive-relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• आगमन: coming/arrival
• आगमन: Sambandha (Genitive-relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु) → आगमन (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग); भाववाचक (act of coming)

• कारणम्: reason/cause
• कारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (object of ‘listen’: the reason)

• धन्यः: fortunate/blessed
• धन्यः: Visheshya (Predicate-nominative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कृतकृत्यः: one who has accomplished his duty
• कृतकृत्यः: Visheshya (Predicate-nominative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त) + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (कृतं कृत्यं येन)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मान्यः: worthy of honor
• मान्यः: Visheshya (Predicate-nominative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महता: by a great (person)
• महता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; (by a great one)

• म: by me/of me
• म: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; enclitic (मे)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also/even)

Speaker

Vākpati (Bṛhaspati)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bṛhaspati (Vākpati) speaks with raised hand in teaching gesture; Agastya listens with folded hands; devas stand behind, attentive. The scene conveys authority, blessing, and imminent disclosure of the gods’ purpose.

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhaspati (Vākpati)
• Agastya
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual attainment is marked by humility and recognition: even the divine guru honors realized sages.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The larger discourse remains within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa (Kāśī’s greatness), though this verse focuses on the dialogue setup.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces an explanation for the devas’ arrival and praises Agastya.