Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

विष्णो वैकुंठनिलय बाणारे विष्टरश्रवः । विष्वक्सेन विराधारे वनमालिन्वनप्रिय

Transliteration

viṣṇo vaikuṃṭhanilaya bāṇāre viṣṭaraśravaḥ | viṣvaksena virādhāre vanamālinvanapriya

Translation

اے وِشنو، ویکنٹھ کے باسی؛ بان کا قاتل؛ دور دور تک مشہور؛ اے وِشوکسین؛ وِرادھ کو نیست کرنے والے؛ جنگلی پھولوں کی مالا پہننے والے؛ جنگل کے محبوب!

Word by Word

• viṣṇo: O Viṣṇu
• viṣṇo: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• vaikuṃṭhanilaya: O dweller in Vaikuṇṭha
• vaikuṃṭhanilaya: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaikuṃṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + nilaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वैकुण्ठे निलयः/वैकुण्ठ-निलयः)

• bāṇāre: O enemy of Bāṇa
• bāṇāre: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (बाणस्य अरिः)

• viṣṭaraśravaḥ: (he who is) of widespread fame
• viṣṭaraśravaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṭara (प्रातिपदिक) + śravas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विष्टरे श्रवः/यशः यस्य)

• viṣvaksena: O Viṣvaksena (one with armies everywhere)
• viṣvaksena: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣvak (अव्ययवत्/प्रातिपदिक) + sena (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विष्वक् सेना यस्य/सर्वतो सेना)

• virādhāre: O enemy of Virādha
• virādhāre: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virādha (प्रातिपदिक) + ari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विराधस्य अरिः)

• vanamālin: O wearer of a forest-garland
• vanamālin: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक) + mālin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वनमालां धारयति)

• vanapriya: O lover of the forest
• vanapriya: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वनं प्रियं यस्य)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu as the forest-loving Lord, garlanded with wildflowers, stands with attendants (Viṣvaksena) while scenes of Bāṇa’s defeat and Virādha’s destruction appear as small narrative vignettes; above, a glimpse of Vaikuṇṭha radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Vaikuṇṭha
• Bāṇa
• Viṣvaksena
• Virādha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hari is remembered as both transcendent (Vaikuṇṭha-dweller) and immanent in sacred narrative—His names carry purifying power through remembrance of His deeds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter’s frame is Kāśī; this verse itself foregrounds Vaikuṇṭha as Viṣṇu’s divine abode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the practice is devotional chanting/recitation of sanctifying names.