Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

इति विज्ञापितो देवैर्विहस्य चतुराननः । प्रत्युवाचाथ तान्सर्वान्ध्रुवतो भीतमानसान्

Transliteration

iti vijñāpito devairvihasya caturānanaḥ | pratyuvācātha tānsarvāndhruvato bhītamānasān

Translation

Được chư thiên khẩn thỉnh như vậy, Phạm Thiên bốn mặt mỉm cười, rồi đáp lại tất cả—những tâm trí run sợ vì Dhruva.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक/उद्धरणार्थक (quotative particle)

• विज्ञापितः: having been informed/entreated
• विज्ञापितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ज्ञा (धातु) + णिच्; विज्ञापित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘informed/entreated’

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• विहस्य: having laughed/smiled
• विहस्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to main verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-हस् (धातु) → विहस्य (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having laughed/smiled)

• चतुराननः: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुराननः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर + आनन (प्रातिपदिक); चतुरानन (समास)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘चत्वारि आननानि यस्य’ (Brahmā)

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• प्रत्युवाच: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-उप-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (then)

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘तान्’)

• ध्रुवतः: from Dhruva
• ध्रुवतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन

• भीतमानसान्: whose minds were afraid
• भीतमानसान्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीत (√भी, क्त) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक); भीतमानस (समास)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘भीतं मानसं येषाम्’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Kāśīkhaṇḍa; likely Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience within Kāśī discourse (frame-dependent)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial assembly: anxious devas petition four-faced Brahmā; Brahmā smiles gently before replying, signaling reassurance and cosmic steadiness.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Devas
• Dhruva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine authority responds with calm clarity; fear subsides when events are seen through dharma and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Kāśī in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, though this verse itself focuses on the Dhruva narrative rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is narrative setup for Brahmā’s counsel.