Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

वाणीप्रमाणी क्रियते गोविंदगुणवर्णने । जोषं समासता तेन महासारं तपस्यता

Transliteration

vāṇīpramāṇī kriyate goviṃdaguṇavarṇane | joṣaṃ samāsatā tena mahāsāraṃ tapasyatā

Translation

گووند کے اوصاف بیان کرنے ہی میں اُس کی زبان کا سچا پیمانہ قائم ہوا؛ اسی خاموش یکسوئی سے اُس کی تپسیا نہایت جوہری اور برتر بن گئی۔

Word by Word

• वाणी-प्रमाणी: speech that is authoritative/valid
• वाणी-प्रमाणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाणी (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (वाणी एव प्रमाणी)

• क्रियते: is done / becomes
• क्रियते: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• गोविन्द-गुण-वर्णने: in the description of Govinda’s qualities
• गोविन्द-गुण-वर्णने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-श्रृंखला (गोविन्दस्य गुणानां वर्णने)

• जोषम्: delight, satisfaction
• जोषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समासता: by one who is absorbed/settled
• समासता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय (Present participle), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; ‘by/with one who is seated/absorbed’

• तेन: by him/therefore
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महा-सारम्: of great essence
• महा-सारम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् सारः)

• तपस्यता: by penance
• तपस्यता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘by austerity’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee recites Govinda’s qualities before a small shrine; then sits in deep silence, eyes half-closed, as the words dissolve into stillness.

Characters & Entities

• Govinda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Speech becomes sacred when used for divine praise; inward silence and absorption mature austerity into its highest essence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Kāśī in the Skanda Purāṇa; this verse highlights devotional practice rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A devotional discipline is implied: praising Govinda’s qualities and maintaining contemplative quietude (japa-like absorption).