Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

अभिलाषधिया नित्यं पूजयंतीष्टदेवताः । एतः पुण्यैर्वसंतीह विद्याधर वरा इमे

Transliteration

abhilāṣadhiyā nityaṃ pūjayaṃtīṣṭadevatāḥ | etaḥ puṇyairvasaṃtīha vidyādhara varā ime

Translation

بقلوبٍ مفعمةٍ بنيّةٍ تعبّدية، يعبدون كلَّ يومٍ آلهتهم المختارة. وبمثل هذه الحسنات يقيم هنا هؤلاء الفيديادهارا الأفاضل.

Word by Word

• अभिलाषधिया: with a desirous intention
• अभिलाषधिया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhilāṣa + dhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (fem. instr. sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अभिलाषस्य धीः)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: always)

• पूजयन्ति: they worship
• पूजयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd pl. pres.)

• इष्टदेवताः: their chosen deities
• इष्टदेवताः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: iṣṭa + devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (fem. acc. pl.); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषभावः (इष्टा देवताः = chosen deities)

• एतः: these two
• एतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन (masc. nom. du.); सर्वनाम (these two)

• पुण्यैः: by merits
• पुण्यैः: Karana/Hetu (Means/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (neut. instr. pl.)

• वसन्ति: they dwell
• वसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd pl. pres.)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb: here)

• विद्याधरवराः: excellent Vidyādharas
• विद्याधरवराः: Karta (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyādhara + vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (masc. nom. pl.); कर्मधारयः (श्रेष्ठा विद्याधराः)

• इमे: these
• इमे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (masc. nom. pl.); सर्वनाम (these)

Speaker

Gaṇas (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vidyādhara-loka (as described)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śivaśarmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vidyādharas in a luminous city perform daily worship at household shrines and small temples—offerings of flowers, lamps, incense—faces intent and serene; the city glows as a result of accumulated merit.

Characters & Entities

• Vidyādharas
• Iṣṭa-devatā (chosen deity)
• Puṇya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steady daily worship of one’s chosen deity generates puṇya that shapes one’s spiritual dwelling and destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises the Vidyādhara realm encountered in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative rather than a named Kāśī tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nitya-pūjā: daily worship of one’s iṣṭa-devatā.