Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

कर्ता कारयिता शंभुः किमतथ्यं ब्रवीम्यहम् । अथवा चिंतया किं मे तपस्विन्ननया विभो

Transliteration

kartā kārayitā śaṃbhuḥ kimatathyaṃ bravīmyaham | athavā ciṃtayā kiṃ me tapasvinnanayā vibho

Translation

“செய்பவனும் செய்யவைக்கிறவனும் சம்புவே; நான் பொய் எப்படிச் சொல்வேன்? ஆயினும், ஓ வல்லமைமிகு தபஸ்வியே, இந்தக் கவலை எனக்கு எதற்கு?”

Word by Word

• कर्ता: doer; maker
• कर्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + तृ (तृच्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-नाम (agent noun); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कारयिता: causer (one who makes others do)
• कारयिता: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + तृ (तृच्)
• Form: णिजन्त-कर्तृवाचक-नाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शंभुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śambhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• अतथ्यम्: untrue (thing)
• अतथ्यम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-tathya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/नञ्-पूर्वक (negated)

• ब्रवीमि: I speak
• ब्रवीमि: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive)

• चिन्तया: by worry; with thought
• चिन्तया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cintā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• मे: for me; to me
• मे: Sampradana (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचन (enclitic); here dative sense ‘for me’

• तपस्विन्: O ascetic
• तपस्विन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• अनया: by this
• अनया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘by this’

• विभो: O mighty one; lord
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Jaṭādhara (ascetic) (deduced: theological assertion about Śambhu)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The speaker invokes Śambhu’s agency; a subtle vision of Śiva as an unseen presence behind the ascetic—trident silhouette, crescent moon, and a faint liṅga aura—while the king listens.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Tapasvin (Ascetic)
• Narapati (King) (implied interlocutor)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is both the agent and the supreme cause; recognizing divine agency dissolves anxiety and supports truthful living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī setting underlies the teaching: in Śiva’s city, events are understood as governed by Śambhu’s will.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is mentioned; the focus is philosophical dharma—truthfulness grounded in Śiva’s sovereignty.