Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

वेदवेद्यस्वरूपाय नमो वेदप्रियाय च । वेदाय वेदगदिने सदाचाराध्वगामिने

Transliteration

vedavedyasvarūpāya namo vedapriyāya ca | vedāya vedagadine sadācārādhvagāmine

Translation

نمسکار اُس ہستی کو جس کی حقیقت ویدوں سے جانی جاتی ہے؛ نمسکار اُس کو جو ویدوں سے محبت رکھتا ہے۔ نمسکار اُس کو جو خود وید ہے، جو وید کا اعلان کرتا ہے، اور جو سَداچار کے راستے پر لے چلتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• वेदवेद्यस्वरूपाय: to him whose true form is known by the Vedas
• वेदवेद्यस्वरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + वेद्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to him whose nature is knowable by the Vedas'

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — नमस्कारार्थकः

• वेदप्रियाय: to the lover of the Vedas
• वेदप्रियाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to the Veda-loving one'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक)

• वेदाय: to the Veda (embodied)
• वेदाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to the Veda' (as Lord/embodiment)

• वेदगदिने: to the utterer of the Veda
• वेदगदिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + गदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to the one who speaks/utters the Veda' (गदिन् = speaker)

• सदाचाराध्वगामिने: to the follower of the path of righteous conduct
• सदाचाराध्वगामिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदाचार (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्वगामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — 'to the one who follows the path of good conduct'

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm Viṣṇu as embodiment of Veda, surrounded by ṛṣis holding palm-leaf manuscripts; a path (adhvan) extends forward symbolizing sadācāra; subtle Kāśī ghāṭa architecture in the distance.

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Viṣṇu (implied as Veda-vedya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion aligns with śāstra: the Lord is known through the Vedas and guides devotees into sadācāra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa context sanctifies Kāśī as a seat of dharma and scripture; the verse itself emphasizes Vedic revelation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; it recommends adherence to sadācāra and reverence for Vedic teaching.