Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । मुनिपृष्टास्तदा देवा भगवंस्ते किमब्रुवन् । सर्वलोकहितार्थाय तदाख्याहि महामुने

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | munipṛṣṭāstadā devā bhagavaṃste kimabruvan | sarvalokahitārthāya tadākhyāhi mahāmune

Translation

سوت نے کہا: جب مُنی نے دیوتاؤں سے پوچھا تو اُن قابلِ تعظیم بھگوان صفت ہستیوں نے کیا جواب دیا؟ اے مہامُنی، سب جہانوں کی بھلائی کے لیے وہ بات بیان فرمائیے۔

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुनि: by the sage
• मुनि: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) एकवचन (समासाङ्ग: मुनि-पृष्टाः)

• पृष्टाः: asked/questioned
• पृष्टाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) → पृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; देवा इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

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

• भगवन्: O Blessed one
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; (your)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• अब्रुवन्: said/spoke
• अब्रुवन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वलोकहितार्थाय: for the welfare-purpose of all worlds
• सर्वलोकहितार्थाय: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + हित (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (for the purpose of the welfare of all worlds/people)

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आख्याहि: tell/declare
• आख्याहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महान् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (mahān munīḥ)

Speaker

Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (Addressed) a great sage (mahāmune)—within the Naimiṣāraṇya frame typically Śaunaka

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A forest hermitage assembly: Sūta stands or sits respectfully, addressing a great sage, requesting the gods’ reply for the welfare of all worlds; listeners sit in orderly rows with palm-leaf manuscripts and sacrificial fires nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Devas
• Sage (muni)
• Vyāsa (implied as respondent)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic teaching is presented as loka-hita—wisdom meant for the spiritual welfare of all beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ongoing context is Kāśīkhaṇḍa (glorification of Kāśī), though this verse functions as a narrative transition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse requests transmission of the devas’ teaching.