Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

पपात दंडवद्भूमौ दृष्ट्वा तं गरुडध्वजः । देवाश्च मुनयश्चैव देवनार्यः समंततः

Transliteration

papāta daṃḍavadbhūmau dṛṣṭvā taṃ garuḍadhvajaḥ | devāśca munayaścaiva devanāryaḥ samaṃtataḥ

Translation

اسے دیکھ کر گَرُڑ دھوج والے پروردگار زمین پر لاٹھی کی طرح (دَندوت) گر پڑے؛ اور چاروں طرف دیوتا، رِشی اور دیویان بھی اسی طرح جھک کر گر پڑیں۔

Word by Word

• पपात: fell down
• पपात: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दण्डवत्: like a staff; fully prostrate
• दण्डवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: 'like a staff', i.e., prostrate)

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/absolutive)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गरुडध्वजः: Garuḍa-bannered (Viṣṇu)
• गरुडध्वजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (he whose banner is Garuḍa; epithet of Viṣṇu)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Nipata (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Nipata (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, also
• एव: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• देवनार्यः: the divine women (wives of the gods)
• देवनार्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (wives/women of the gods)

• समन्ततः: from all sides
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana (Spatial/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb: 'on all sides')

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhairava/Mahākāla darśana (as supreme moment)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wide tableau: Viṣṇu with Garuḍa emblem drops into full daṇḍavat; around him devas, ṛṣis, and apsarās mirror the gesture in concentric rings, while Bhairava stands central, towering and radiant with fierce aura.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍadhvaja (Viṣṇu)
• Bhairava/Mahākāla
• Devas
• Munis
• Devanāryaḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True greatness is recognized through humility; even the highest deities model reverence when confronted with divine majesty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode supports Kāśī’s Mahātmya by elevating Bhairava/Mahākāla, key figures in Kāśī’s sacred guardianship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Daṇḍavat-praṇāma (full prostration) is exemplified as an act of worship and surrender.