Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

परमेष्ठिवचः श्रुत्वा ततोसौ राजसत्तमः । वेधसं बहुशः स्तुत्वा वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह

Transliteration

parameṣṭhivacaḥ śrutvā tatosau rājasattamaḥ | vedhasaṃ bahuśaḥ stutvā vākyaṃ cedamuvāca ha

Translation

ครั้นสดับพระวาจาแห่งปรเมษฐิน (พระพรหม) แล้ว พระราชาผู้ประเสริฐนั้นได้สรรเสริญเวธัส ผู้ทรงเป็นผู้สร้าง ซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่า แล้วจึงกราบทูลถ้อยคำนี้

Word by Word

• परमेष्ठि-वचः: the word(s) of Parameṣṭhin (Brahmā)
• परमेष्ठि-वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेष्ठि (प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative) — ‘परमेष्ठिनः वचः’

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive) — ‘having heard’

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध/क्रमसूचक (then/from there)

• असौ: he (that one)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative pronoun)

• राज-सत्तमः: the best of kings
• राज-सत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — ‘राज्ञां सत्तमः’ (best among kings)

• वेधसम्: Vedhas (Brahmā)
• वेधसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेष्य-नाम (Brahmā)

• बहुशः: many times
• बहुशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• स्तुत्वा: having praised
• स्तुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive) — ‘having praised’

• वाक्यम्: a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ह: indeed/it is said
• ह: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/quotative particle)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame traditionally Skanda)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A crowned king, hands folded, listens to Brahmā (four-faced, seated on lotus) and then offers repeated praise before speaking; a subtle Kāśī aura—ghāṭa silhouettes or a distant liṅga—can frame the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Parameṣṭhin/Vedhas)
• Ripuṃjaya/Divodāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence (stuti) and humility precede rightful action and speech, especially for leaders.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the textual setting; this verse is transitional within the dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it depicts praise (stuti) as a devotional act.