Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

ततो धर्मेशमहिमा ततः पक्षिकथा शुभा । ततो विश्वभुजाख्यानं दुर्दमस्य कथा ततः

Transliteration

tato dharmeśamahimā tataḥ pakṣikathā śubhā | tato viśvabhujākhyānaṃ durdamasya kathā tataḥ

Translation

随后是法主（Dharmeśa）的荣耀；继而是一则吉祥的鸟之故事；再后是毗湿婆布阇（Viśvabhuja）的记述；其后便是杜尔达摩（Durdama）的传说。

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (then/thereafter)

• धर्मेश: Dharmeśa (Lord of Dharma)
• धर्मेश: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: धर्मस्य ईशः (Lord of Dharma); (in compound with महिमा)

• महिमा: glory; greatness
• महिमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: धर्मेशस्य महिमा (glory of Dharmeśa)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (then)

• पक्षि: bird
• पक्षि: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; (in compound with कथा)

• कथा: story; tale
• कथा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: पक्षिणः कथा (story of a bird)

• शुभा: auspicious
• शुभा: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies कथा)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (then)

• विश्वभुज: Viśvabhuj (proper name)
• विश्वभुज: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयार्थः: विश्वं भुनक्ति/भुज्यते येन (name: Viśvabhuj); (in compound with आख्यानम्)

• आख्यानम्: narrative; account
• आख्यानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ + ख्या (धातु) → आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: विश्वभुजस्य आख्यानम् (account of Viśvabhuj)

• दुर्दमस्य: of Durdama (proper name)
• दुर्दमस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• कथा: story
• कथा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (then)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmeśa (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A reciter lists forthcoming episodes: Dharmeśa’s māhātmya, a śubha bird story, then Viśvabhuja and Durdama—suggesting a garland of moral-legend panels around Kāśī shrines.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmeśa
• Pakṣi (bird) tale
• Viśvabhuja
• Durdama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s māhātmya teaches dharma through vivid legends—showing that even unexpected beings (like a bird) can become instruments of spiritual instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmeśa is singled out as a focal sacred presence; the remaining items introduce connected legends to be detailed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse serves as an outline of upcoming dharma-centered narratives and site glories.