Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

इदं चराचरं विश्वं यो बभार स्वलीलया । भृत्यास्वरूपसंपत्त्या सोऽत्र विश्वंभरोऽखिलम्

Transliteration

idaṃ carācaraṃ viśvaṃ yo babhāra svalīlayā | bhṛtyāsvarūpasaṃpattyā so'tra viśvaṃbharo'khilam

Translation

స్వలీలయే ఈ చరాచర విశ్వాన్ని ధరించి, దాస్యభావసంపదతో సమస్తాన్ని పోషించువాడు—అతడే ఇక్కడ సర్వాధారుడైన ‘విశ్వంభరుడు’గా స్తుతింపబడుచున్నాడు।

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• चराचरम्: moving and unmoving
• चराचरम्: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cara + acara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (चर + अचर)

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• बभार: bore, upheld
• बभार: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्वलीलया: by his own play
• स्वलीलया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + līlā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य लीलया)

• भृत्यास्वरूपसंपत्त्या: by the wealth/attainment of servant-nature
• भृत्यास्वरूपसंपत्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhṛtya + svarūpa + saṃpatti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (भृत्य-स्वरूपस्य संपत्त्या)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• विश्वंभरः: the sustainer of the universe
• विश्वंभरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvaṃbhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (विश्वं भरति इति)

• अखिलम्: entirely, all
• अखिलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (अत्र क्रियाविशेषणवत्—‘समस्ततः’)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic vision: the Lord as Viśvambhara holding the universe—stars, rivers, mountains, beings—yet appearing gentle and approachable, as if serving creation with care; Kāśī’s ghāṭs faintly visible as the earthly locus of praise.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvambhara
• Universe (carācara)
• Kāśī (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The cosmos is upheld by the Lord’s sustaining power and compassionate guardianship; recognizing Him as Viśvambhara nurtures trust.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī setting, where divine names are extolled as liberating and merit-bestowing.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the devotional act implied is praise and repetition of the name “Viśvambhara.”