Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

त्वमेको जगतां वंद्यो विश्वस्योपरि संस्थितः । अहं त्वदुपरिष्टाच्च स्थितोस्मी ति जितं मया

Transliteration

tvameko jagatāṃ vaṃdyo viśvasyopari saṃsthitaḥ | ahaṃ tvadupariṣṭācca sthitosmī ti jitaṃ mayā

Translation

ଆପଣ ଏକମାତ୍ର ସମସ୍ତ ଲୋକଙ୍କର ବନ୍ଦନୀୟ, ସମଗ୍ର ବିଶ୍ୱର ଉପରେ ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠିତ। ତଥାପି ମୁଁ ଆପଣଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ଦାଁଡ଼ିଥିଲି—‘ମୁଁ ଜିତିଲି’ ବୋଲି ଭାବି।

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• एकः: alone, one
• एकः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘alone/one’

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

• वन्द्यः: worthy of worship
• वन्द्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन्द्य (√वन्द् + यत्) (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘worthy of worship/praise’

• विश्वस्य: of the universe
• विश्वस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• उपरि: above, upon
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपसर्गसदृश/अव्ययीभावार्थे), स्थानवाचक (adverb/preposition)

• संस्थितः: situated
• संस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + √स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘situated/standing’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• त्वत्: than/above you (your)
• त्वत्: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th) एकवचन-प्रत्ययार्थक (abl./gen. stem form used in compounds); here with adverb ‘above you’

• उपरिष्टात्: above, from above
• उपरिष्टात्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरिष्टात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक-तसिल्/ablative adverb) ‘from above/above’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय

• स्थितः: standing
• स्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘standing’

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: इत्यादि-निर्देशक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• जितम्: conquered, defeated
• जितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √जि (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here as predicate ‘(it is) conquered/defeated’

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

Speaker

Gajāsura

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame audience (not specified in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gajāsura confesses his delusion: he had stood ‘above’ Śiva and thought himself victorious; the composition emphasizes verticality—Śiva below steady, demon above yet defeated, illustrating the irony of pride.

Characters & Entities

• Gajāsura
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ego creates delusion even against the Supreme; confession becomes the doorway to grace and right understanding.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s spiritual frame is implied: in Śiva’s sacred geography, pride is humbled and beings are uplifted toward liberation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a moral-theological reflection within the narrative.