Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

दानवाधिपते सर्वं तथ्यं यद्भाषितं त्वया । विद्योपार्जनमेतद्धि दानवार्थं मया कृतम्

Transliteration

dānavādhipate sarvaṃ tathyaṃ yadbhāṣitaṃ tvayā | vidyopārjanametaddhi dānavārthaṃ mayā kṛtam

Translation

தானவாதிபதியே, நீ கூறிய அனைத்தும் உண்மையே; இந்த வித்யைச் சேர்க்கை நான் தானவர்களின் நலனுக்காகவே செய்தேன்.

Word by Word

• दानव-अधिपते: O lord of the Dānavas
• दानव-अधिपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन — Vocative singular

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Content/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — here as प्रथमा (predicate nominal)

• तथ्यम्: true
• तथ्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तथ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — here as प्रथमा; विशेषण (qualifying सर्वम्)

• यत्: what
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — relative pronoun; refers to ‘what’ was spoken

• भाषितम्: spoken
• भाषितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाषित (कृदन्त; √भाष् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘spoken’ (passive)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन — Instrumental singular (agent of passive)

• विद्या-उपार्जनम्: acquisition of knowledge/spell
• विद्या-उपार्जनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + उपार्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Nominative/Accusative singular; here as प्रथमा (subject/predicate)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — demonstrative ‘this’

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/Reason/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• दानव-अर्थम्: for the sake of the Dānavas
• दानव-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative singular; प्रयोजनार्थे (purpose)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent-in-passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन — Instrumental singular (agent of passive)

• कृतम्: was done
• कृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘done/made’ (passive)

Speaker

Bhārgava (Śukrācārya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Bhārgava sage speaks plainly to the Dānava king: a calm, authoritative posture, hand raised in assurance; the Asura listens, tension easing as purpose is confirmed.

Characters & Entities

• Bhārgava (Śukrācārya)
• Dānava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Knowledge is portrayed as purposeful and value-directed; here, the guru frames learning as service to one’s community.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; the larger frame is the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical declaration of intent behind acquiring vidyā.