Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

श्रीमहादेव उवाच । शृणु विष्णो महाबाहो जगतः प्रभवाप्यय । विधेहि सृष्टिं विविधां यथावत्त्वं श्रुतीरिताम्

Transliteration

śrīmahādeva uvāca | śṛṇu viṣṇo mahābāho jagataḥ prabhavāpyaya | vidhehi sṛṣṭiṃ vividhāṃ yathāvattvaṃ śrutīritām

Translation

శ్రీమహాదేవుడు పలికెను—హే విష్ణూ, మహాబాహో! జగత్తుకు ఉద్భవమూ లయమూ నీవే. వేదాలలో చెప్పినట్లుగా యథావిధిగా నానావిధ సృష్టిని ఏర్పాటు చేయుము.

Word by Word

• śrīmahādevaḥ: Śrī Mahādeva
• śrīmahādevaḥ: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-mahādeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—श्रीः (शोभा/श्री) + महादेव (उपपद/कर्मधारय-भावः)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• śṛṇu: hear
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (Imperative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• viṣṇo: O Viṣṇu
• viṣṇo: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• mahābāho: O mighty-armed one
• mahābāho: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः—महान्तौ बाहू यस्य सः (बहुव्रीहिः)

• jagataḥ: of the world
• jagataḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• prabhava: O source/origin
• prabhava: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (as epithet)

• apyaya: O dissolution/end
• apyaya: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (as epithet)

• vidhehi: ordain, create
• vidhehi: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhā (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः—वि + धे (धा)

• sṛṣṭim: creation
• sṛṣṭim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vividhām: various
• vividhām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (sṛṣṭim)

• yathāvat: properly, as prescribed
• yathāvat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (यथावत् = as it should be)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/त्रिलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• śruti-īritām: stated in the Vedas
• śruti-īritām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śruti-īrita (प्रातिपदिक; īrita from √īr)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; समासः—श्रुति + ईरित (तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-भावः: ‘by/in the śruti stated’)

Speaker

Śiva (Śrī Mahādeva)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viṣṇu (Madhusūdana)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva speaks authoritatively to Viṣṇu: a divine council scene where creation’s manifold forms are to be arranged as per the Vedas; visual emphasis on śruti (Veda manuscripts) and cosmic diagrams.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Mahādeva)
• Viṣṇu
• Śruti (Vedas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic order and creation are to be aligned with Śruti, reinforcing Vedic authority within Purāṇic teaching.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs within Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-māhātmya narrative frame, though it speaks directly about cosmic governance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an instruction regarding the proper establishment of creation in accordance with the Vedas.