Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मविष्ण्वोपि गिरां गोचरो न च वाक्पतेः । प्रमथेशं कथं स्तोतुं मादृशः प्रभवेत्प्रभो

Transliteration

brahmaviṣṇvopi girāṃ gocaro na ca vākpateḥ | pramatheśaṃ kathaṃ stotuṃ mādṛśaḥ prabhavetprabho

Translation

ବ୍ରହ୍ମବିଷ୍ଣ୍ୱୋପି ଗିରାଂ ଗୋଚରୋ ନ ଚ ବାକ୍ପତେଃ । ପ୍ରମଥେଶଂ କଥଂ ସ୍ତୋତୁଂ ମାଦୃଶଃ ପ୍ରଭବେତ୍ପ୍ରଭୋ ॥

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मविष्णु: Brahmā and Viṣṇu (even they)
• ब्रह्मविष्णु: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (समाहार-द्वन्द्व/एकवद्भाव); द्वन्द्व-समास

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/अपि-अर्थ (even/also)

• गिराम्: of speech/words
• गिराम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन

• गोचरः: within reach/object of
• गोचरः: Vidheyapada (विधेय/प्रेडिकेट)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

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

• वाक्पतेः: of the lord of speech (Bṛhaspati)
• वाक्पतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक् (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (वाचः पतिः)

• प्रमथेशम्: the lord of the Pramathas
• प्रमथेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमथ (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (प्रमथानाम् ईशः)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• स्तोतुम्: to praise
• स्तोतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/infinitive complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), धातु: स्तु (to praise)

• मादृशः: one like me
• मादृशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• प्रभवेत्: could be able
• प्रभवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) उपसर्ग: प्र
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; धातु: भू (प्रभवति/प्रभवेत् = be able)

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन

Speaker

Pūtātmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (contextual) frame audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pūtātmā confesses inability to praise: even Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Bṛhaspati cannot reach Śiva by speech; Śiva as Pramathādhipa sits with attendants, listening compassionately.

Characters & Entities

• Pūtātmā
• Śiva (Pramatheśa)
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Vākpati (Bṛhaspati)
• Pramathas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion is marked by humility: the devotee recognizes that the Divine transcends even the greatest eloquence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s Śaiva milieu is the setting; the verse supports Kāśī’s Mahātmya by affirming Śiva’s unsurpassable greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a devotional confession of the inadequacy of words.