Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

ततो व्यापारयांचक्रे त्र्यक्षो नेत्राणि चक्रिणि । हरिर्न किंचिदप्यूचे सर्वज्ञाग्रे महामनाः

Transliteration

tato vyāpārayāṃcakre tryakṣo netrāṇi cakriṇi | harirna kiṃcidapyūce sarvajñāgre mahāmanāḥ

Translation

ततः त्र्यक्षः प्रभुः चक्रिणं प्रति नेत्राणि व्यापारयामास। सर्वज्ञाग्रे महामनाः हरिः किंचिदपि न व्याहरत्॥

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (ablatival adverb: then/from that)

• व्यापारयाम्: to operate/move
• व्यापारयाम्: Kriya (part of verbal complex)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-आ-पर्/पॄ (धातु) (causative base: व्यापारय-)
• Form: तुमुन्/अव्यय-रूप? (here as verbal noun/infinitival element in periphrastic perfect construction); ‘to set in motion/operate’ (पाठभेद-संभावना)

• चक्रे: did, set (into action)
• चक्रे: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘did/made’

• त्र्यक्षः: the three-eyed one (Śiva)
• त्र्यक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: द्विगु/तत्पुरुष (‘three-eyed’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नेत्राणि: eyes
• नेत्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• चक्रिणि: rolling, circular
• चक्रिणि: Karma (Adjectival to object/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चक्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (विशेषण: ‘wheel-like/rolling’); पाठभेद-संभावना (चक्रिणि/चक्रिणी)

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-प्रयोग (indefinite: anything)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (even/also)

• ऊचे: said
• ऊचे: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘said/spoke’

• सर्वज्ञ-अग्रे: before the omniscient one
• सर्वज्ञ-अग्रे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (‘in front of the omniscient’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• महामनाः: great-minded
• महामनाः: Karta (Adjectival to subject/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महन् (प्रातिपदिक) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कर्मधारय (‘great-minded’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, three-eyed, turns his gaze toward Viṣṇu the discus-bearer; Viṣṇu stands composed, hands relaxed, offering silent assent in the presence of the All-knowing.

Characters & Entities

• Tryakṣa (Śiva)
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Cakrin (discus-bearer)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In sacred presence, even the greatest restrain speech; reverence (māna) and inner composure are themselves forms of worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī setting is implied by the Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, though no named tīrtha appears in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse highlights devotional etiquette and divine hierarchy in a sacred encounter.