Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

विश्वेशानुग्रहेणैव त्वयैषा पाल्यते पुरी । एकस्याप्यवनात्काश्यां त्रैलोक्यमवितं भवेत्

Transliteration

viśveśānugraheṇaiva tvayaiṣā pālyate purī | ekasyāpyavanātkāśyāṃ trailokyamavitaṃ bhavet

Translation

وشویشور کے فضل ہی سے یہ پوری تمہارے ہاتھوں محفوظ رہتی ہے؛ کاشی میں اگر ایک شخص کی بھی حفاظت ہو جائے تو گویا تینوں لوک محفوظ ہو جاتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• viśveśa: of Viśveśa (Lord of the universe)
• viśveśa: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva-īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; समासः = विश्व + ईश (तत्पुरुषः) ‘lord of the universe’ (as first member)

• anugraheṇa: by the grace
• anugraheṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anugraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; समासः = विश्वेश-अनुग्रह (तत्पुरुषः) ‘grace of Viśveśa’

• eva: indeed; only
• eva: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• eṣā: this
• eṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘purī’ विशेषण

• pālyate: is protected
• pālyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pāl (पाल रक्षणे)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

• purī: the city
• purī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• ekasya: of one
• ekasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; ‘one (person)’

• api: even
• api: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — ‘even’

• avanāt: from the protection
• avanāt: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avana (प्रातिपदिक; √av रक्षणे)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; ‘अवन’ = protection/guarding

• kāśyām: in Kāśī
• kāśyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• trailokyam: the three worlds
• trailokyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri-loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः = त्रि + लोक ‘three worlds’

• avitam: protected
• avitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avita (कृदन्त; √av रक्षणे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘protected’; ‘trailokyam’ विशेषण

• bhavet: would become
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू सत्तायाम्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Viśveśvara-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The King (protector of the city)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king stands vigil at Kāśī’s gates/ghāṭas with attendants, ensuring pilgrims’ safety; above, Viśveśvara’s luminous presence signifies grace; a single protected pilgrim is highlighted, symbolizing protection of the three worlds.

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśvara
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service and protection offered in Kāśī, under Viśveśvara’s grace, is magnified into cosmic-scale merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, under the lordship of Viśveśvara (Śiva).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A dharmic duty is implied: protection/guardianship in Kāśī as a meritorious act, especially for rulers.