Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

उवाच चापि ब्रह्माणं नितरां ब्राह्मणप्रियः । सर्वज्ञनाथो लोकात्मा वरं वरय लोककृत्

Transliteration

uvāca cāpi brahmāṇaṃ nitarāṃ brāhmaṇapriyaḥ | sarvajñanātho lokātmā varaṃ varaya lokakṛt

Translation

At nagsalita Siya kay Brahmā—Siya na lubhang minamahal ang mga brāhmaṇa, ang Panginoong ganap na nakaaalam, ang Kaluluwa ng daigdig, ang Lumikha—“Pumili ka ng isang biyaya.”

Word by Word

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: also/even)

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नितराम्: exceedingly; greatly
• नितराम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नितराम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: exceedingly)

• ब्राह्मणप्रियः: dear to Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणप्रियः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्मण + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—ब्राह्मणानां प्रियः

• सर्वज्ञनाथः: the all-knowing lord
• सर्वज्ञनाथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वज्ञ + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—सर्वज्ञः नाथः (the all-knowing lord)

• लोकात्मा: the soul of the world
• लोकात्मा: Visheshana (Apposition/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—लोकस्य आत्मा

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

• वरय: choose; ask for
• वरय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; धातोः ‘वृ’ (choose)

• लोककृत्: creator of the world
• लोककृत्: Visheshana (Apposition/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + कृत् (कृदन्त; √कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक ‘कृत्’ (doer/maker); समासः—लोकं करोति इति

Speaker

Skanda (narrating)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (context); Satīśvara episode

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, pleased, addresses Brahmā with affectionate authority, inviting him to choose a boon; the scene emphasizes Śiva’s cosmic majesty and benevolence.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Deveśa/Śiva (implied as speaker within narrative)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord is portrayed as compassionate and boon-giving, honoring dharma and those devoted to sacred learning and priestly virtue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader narrative points toward Kāśī and Satīśvara; this verse itself is a divine dialogue scene.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes the boon-offering moment following austerity.