Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

इति श्रुत्वा महादेवः सर्वदो ब्रह्मणो वरम् । स्मित्वा देवीमुखं वीक्ष्य प्रोवाच चतुराननम्

Transliteration

iti śrutvā mahādevaḥ sarvado brahmaṇo varam | smitvā devīmukhaṃ vīkṣya provāca caturānanam

Translation

ครั้นทรงสดับพรของพระพรหมนั้น มหาเทวะผู้ประทานสรรพสิ่งทรงแย้มพระสรวล แล้วทอดพระเนตรพระพักตร์ของพระเทวี ก่อนตรัสแก่พระพรหมผู้มีสี่พักตร์

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्ति/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle: thus)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) ‘having heard’

• महादेवः: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—महान् देवः

• सर्वदः: giver of all
• सर्वदः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—सर्वं ददाति इति (giver of all)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• वरम्: boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्मित्वा: having smiled
• स्मित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) ‘having smiled’

• देवीमुखम्: the Goddess’s face
• देवीमुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—देव्याः मुखम्

• वीक्ष्य: having looked
• वीक्ष्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) ‘having looked (at)’

• प्रोवाच: said forth; addressed
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग ‘प्र’ (pra+uvāca)

• चतुराननम्: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुराननम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—चत्वारि आननानि यस्य सः (Brahmā)

Speaker

Skanda (narrating)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Satīśvara (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mahādeva smiles, glances at the Goddess’s face, then addresses four-faced Brahmā—an intimate, auspicious pause before granting/clarifying the boon.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Brahmā (Caturānana)
• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine grace operates with compassion and harmony—Śiva responds thoughtfully, honoring cosmic order and the Goddess’s presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the Satīśvara origin account connected to Kāśī, though this line focuses on the divine response scene.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates the moment preceding Śiva’s reply.