Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

अगस्त्य उवाच । शिवलोकं समासाद्य मुनिना ब्रह्मसूनुना । किं चक्रे ब्रूहि षड्वक्त्र कथां कौतुकशालिनीम्

Transliteration

agastya uvāca | śivalokaṃ samāsādya muninā brahmasūnunā | kiṃ cakre brūhi ṣaḍvaktra kathāṃ kautukaśālinīm

Translation

ଅଗସ୍ତ୍ୟ କହିଲେ—ହେ ଷଡ୍ବକ୍ତ୍ର ପ୍ରଭୁ! ବ୍ରହ୍ମାଙ୍କ ପୁତ୍ର ମୁନି ନାରଦ ଶିବଲୋକକୁ ପହଞ୍ଚି ସେଠାରେ କ’ଣ କଲେ? ସେଇ କୌତୁକମୟ ଆଶ୍ଚର୍ଯ୍ୟଭରା କଥା କହନ୍ତୁ।

Word by Word

• अगस्त्यः: Agastya
• अगस्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• शिवलोकम्: the world of Śiva
• शिवलोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समासाद्य: having reached
• समासाद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव

• मुनिना: by the sage
• मुनिना: Karana (Instrument/Agentive instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मसूनुना: by Brahmā’s son
• ब्रह्मसूनुना: Karana (Instrument/Agentive instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्-सूनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• चक्रे: did
• चक्रे: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ब्रूहि: tell
• ब्रूहि: Prayojaka (Request/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• षड्वक्त्र: O six-faced one
• षड्वक्त्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट्-वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• कथाम्: story
• कथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कौतुकशालिनीम्: full of wonder/curiosity
• कौतुकशालिनीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौतुक-शालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (कथाम्)

Speaker

Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kailāsa/Śivaloka (contextual)

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Skanda (Ṣaḍvaktra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Agastya, the pot-born sage, respectfully questions the six-faced Skanda, requesting a wonder-filled account of Nārada’s actions in Śiva’s world.

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• Skanda (Ṣaḍvaktra)
• Śiva
• Nārada
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverent inquiry into divine matters is itself a dharmic act; sacred narratives awaken devotion and right understanding.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse points toward Śiva’s realm and Kailāsa context; within Kāśīkhaṇḍa, the broader frame remains the greatness of Kāśī while narrating a Kailāsa episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it introduces a question that leads into a sacred account.