Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 100

Devanagari script

विशांपतिरथोवाच तन्मुखच्छाययेरितम् । विज्ञाय तदभिप्रायमलंभीत्या पुरौकसः

Transliteration

viśāṃpatirathovāca tanmukhacchāyayeritam | vijñāya tadabhiprāyamalaṃbhītyā puraukasaḥ

Translation

แล้วพระราชา ผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งไพร่ฟ้า ทรงมีพระดำรัส โดยทรงรับรู้จากแววและเงาบนใบหน้าของพวกเขา ครั้นทรงทราบเจตนาแล้ว ชาวเมืองผู้ไร้ความหวาดหวั่นก็สดับฟังโดยตั้งใจ

Word by Word

• विशाम्पतिः: the lord of the people (king)
• विशाम्पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाम् (विश्-प्रातिपदिक, ‘people’) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: विशाम् पतिः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Kriya-viseshana (Discourse adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तर (then/thereupon)

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मुखच्छायया: by the facial expression/shadow of the face
• मुखच्छायया: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मुखस्य छाया); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• ईरितम्: indicated/expressed
• ईरितम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईर्/ईरय् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘uttered/indicated’ (qualifying तत्)

• विज्ञाय: having understood
• विज्ञाय: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययभाव (gerund), पूर्वकालिक (having understood)

• तदभिप्रायम्: that intention/purport
• तदभिप्रायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + अभिप्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तस्य अभिप्रायः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अलम्: not at all / enough
• अलम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पर्याप्ति/निषेधार्थ (enough; not at all—contextual)

• भीत्या: with fear
• भीत्या: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• पुरौकसः: the city-dwellers (citizens)
• पुरौकसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + ओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पुरि ओकः यस्य/पुर-ओकस् = city-dweller); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (narrating); direct speech introduced: the King (viśāṃpati)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, perceiving the townsmen’s intent from their faces, begins to speak; the townsmen stand composed, fear gone, listening intently.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda (narrator)
• King (viśāṃpati)
• citizens (puraukasaḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic ruler perceives the needs of people and speaks accordingly, creating a climate where citizens are free from fear.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the narrative setting; the verse prepares a royal dialogue rather than praising a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.