Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

निशम्येति वचस्तस्य वयस्यस्य विमानगौ । प्रणयादाहतुस्तस्मै ध्रुवां ध्रुवकथां गणौ

Transliteration

niśamyeti vacastasya vayasyasya vimānagau | praṇayādāhatustasmai dhruvāṃ dhruvakathāṃ gaṇau

Translation

ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਸਾਥੀ ਦੇ ਬਚਨ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ, ਵਿਮਾਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਗਮਨ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲੇ ਦੋ ਗਣ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਨਾਲ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਧ੍ਰੁਵ ਦੀ ਅਟੱਲ ਕਥਾ ਸੁਣਾਉਣ ਲੱਗੇ।

Word by Word

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-शम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'having heard'

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्ति/वाक्यसूचक (quotative particle)

• वचः: speech, words
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• वयस्यस्य: of the friend
• वयस्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• विमानगौ: the two (who were) in the aerial car
• विमानगौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमान + ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; 'विमाने गच्छतः/स्थितौ' (those who are in a vimāna)

• प्रणयात्: out of affection
• प्रणयात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (ablative of cause: 'out of affection')

• आहतुः: they two said/spoke
• आहतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• ध्रुवाम्: firm, certain
• ध्रुवाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणं कथाम् (agreeing with कथाम्)

• ध्रुवकथाम्: the story of Dhruva
• ध्रुवकथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव + कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; 'ध्रुवस्य कथा' (story of Dhruva)

• गणौ: the two attendants (gaṇas)
• गणौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

Speaker

Narrator (introducing the gaṇas’ speech)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Their companion (vayasyā) addressed as recipient of kathā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two celestial attendants in a vimāna, hearing their companion’s question, begin narrating the unwavering story of Dhruva with warmth and intimacy.

Characters & Entities

• gaṇa (two attendants)
• vimāna
• Dhruva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred history is transmitted through loving discourse; devotion and affection become vehicles for dharmic instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader work glorifies Kāśī, but this verse introduces Dhruva’s narrative rather than a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on śravaṇa (listening) and kathā (sacred narration).