Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

विश्वकर्माप्यलंकारान्कुरुतेभ्यागतर्त्विजाम् । वसूनि चाऽपि वासांसि वसवोष्टौ ददत्यपि

Transliteration

viśvakarmāpyalaṃkārānkurutebhyāgatartvijām | vasūni cā'pi vāsāṃsi vasavoṣṭau dadatyapi

Translation

แม้พระวิศวกรรมาก็ยังทรงประดิษฐ์เครื่องประดับให้แก่พราหมณ์ฤตวิชผู้มาถึงแล้ว; และพระวสุทั้งแปดก็ประทานทรัพย์และอาภรณ์ด้วย

Word by Word

• विश्वकर्मा: Viśvakarman (divine artisan)
• विश्वकर्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे ‘also/indeed’

• अलंकारान्: ornaments
• अलंकारान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कुरुते: makes
• कुरुते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• अभ्यागत: arrived
• अभ्यागत: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-आ-गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘आगत’ इत्यर्थे

• ऋत्विजाम्: of the priests
• ऋत्विजाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वसूनि: wealth; valuables
• वसूनि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) ‘also’

• वासांसि: garments
• वासांसि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वसवः: the Vasus (eight deities)
• वसवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier of वसवः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ददति: give
• ददति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) ‘also/indeed’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue frame traditionally Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (typical frame; not explicit here)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant yajña pavilion in Kāśī: arriving ṛtviks are welcomed; Viśvakarmā crafts gleaming ornaments; the eight Vasus present heaps of cloth and wealth, while lamps and garlands frame the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvakarmā
• Vasus
• Ṛtvij (priests)
• Yajña (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A righteous sacrifice is supported by cosmic order—divinities themselves are portrayed as aiding proper hospitality and honor toward ritual priests.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is the Kāśī Khaṇḍa (Vārāṇasī’s sacred geography), though this verse specifically highlights yajña-supporting divine agencies rather than a single named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Honoring ṛtvij priests with adornments, clothing, and wealth—forms of dāna and satkāra associated with yajña.