Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

धर्मराजस्य तपसा तिर्यञ्चोपि वयं विभो । जाताः स्म निर्विकल्पं हि सर्वज्ञानस्य भाजनम्

Transliteration

dharmarājasya tapasā tiryañcopi vayaṃ vibho | jātāḥ sma nirvikalpaṃ hi sarvajñānasya bhājanam

Translation

ด้วยตบะของธรรมราชา—แม้เราจะเป็นเพียงนก, โอ้ พระผู้เป็นเจ้า—เราก็ได้เป็นภาชนะอันสมควรแก่สรรพญาณ โดยปราศจากข้อกังขา

Word by Word

• धर्मराजस्य: of Dharmarāja (Yama)
• धर्मराजस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, एकवचनम्, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-नाम (dharmaḥ rājā यस्य/धर्मस्य राजा)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, एकवचनम्, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental singular)

• तिर्यञ्चः: animals/creatures (non-human beings)
• तिर्यञ्चः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिर्यञ्च् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, बहुवचनम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative plural)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (also/even)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम, बहुवचनम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः

• विभो: O Lord
• विभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, एकवचनम्, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative singular)

• जाताः: become/born
• जाताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तम् (PPP used with अस्), पुंलिङ्गम्, बहुवचनम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; कर्तृसमनाधिकरणम् (predicate participle)

• स्म: were (auxiliary)
• स्म: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारस्य सहायक-रूपम् (auxiliary for perfect/periphrastic past), प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• निर्विकल्पम्: undoubtedly/without alternative
• निर्विकल्पम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, एकवचनम्, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative singular); क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially: without doubt)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (indeed/for)

• सर्वज्ञानस्य: of omniscience
• सर्वज्ञानस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, एकवचनम्, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (sarvasya jñānam)

• भाजनम्: a vessel/receptacle
• भाजनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, एकवचनम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative singular); विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

Speaker

Deductively: birds/winged beings speaking to a superior deity (vibhu), in this passage to Śiva

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two or more birds (tiryak) depicted with luminous eyes and a sage-like aura, perched near a Dharma emblem or a pīṭha; above them a subtle figure of Dharmarāja/Yama as a benign, radiant presence, indicating tapas-bestowed omniscience.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmarāja (Yama)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma and tapas can elevate even humble beings, making them worthy receptacles of profound knowledge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this line; it supports the broader Kāśī māhātmya narrative through the theme of dharma’s power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is highlighted as the enabling spiritual discipline, attributed here to Dharmarāja.