Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

विधाय राजधानीं स वाराणस्यां सुनिश्चलाम् । एधां चक्रे महाबुद्धिः प्रजाधर्मेण पालयन्

Transliteration

vidhāya rājadhānīṃ sa vārāṇasyāṃ suniścalām | edhāṃ cakre mahābuddhiḥ prajādharmeṇa pālayan

Translation

พระองค์ทรงสถาปนาราชธานีอันมั่นคงในพาราณสี แล้วกษัตริย์ผู้มีปัญญายิ่งก็ทรงทำให้รุ่งเรือง โดยคุ้มครองประชาชนตามธรรมแห่งราชธรรม

Word by Word

• विधाय: having established
• विधाय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) with उपसर्ग वि-, पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having established/arranged)

• राजधानीम्: capital city
• राजधानीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज + धानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (राज्ञः धानी)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुनिश्चलाम्: very stable
• सुनिश्चलाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + निश्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (very steady/firm)

• एधाम्: prosperity, growth
• एधाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चक्रे: made; caused
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• महाबुद्धिः: the great-minded one
• महाबुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती बुद्धिः यस्य/या)

• प्रजाधर्मेण: by the duty toward subjects; by righteous governance
• प्रजाधर्मेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्रजायाः धर्मः)

• पालयन्: protecting, ruling
• पालयन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vārāṇasī / Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vipa-indra / best of brāhmaṇas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Divodāsa oversees the planning of Vārāṇasī as a firm capital—walls, gates, markets, and orderly streets; citizens appear secure, and the city’s prosperity rises under dharmic protection.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī
• Divodāsa (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A city truly prospers when leadership aligns power with dharma—protecting subjects is itself a sacred obligation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī) is explicitly highlighted as the stable capital, reinforcing its centrality in Kāśī-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse emphasizes ethical governance (prajādharma/rājadharma).