Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

तुष्टाव परया भक्त्या मौलिबद्धकरांजलिः । अध्यस्तविस्तीर्णशिलं बलिध्वंसिनमच्युतम्

Transliteration

tuṣṭāva parayā bhaktyā maulibaddhakarāṃjaliḥ | adhyastavistīrṇaśilaṃ balidhvaṃsinamacyutam

Translation

وسبّحه بعبادةٍ عليا، ويداه مضمومتان مرفوعتان إلى هامته؛ فمدح أتشيوتا، مُحطِّم بالي، الجالس على صفيحةٍ عريضة من الحجر.

Word by Word

• tuṣṭāva: praised
• tuṣṭāva: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √stu (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• parayā: with supreme
• parayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• bhaktyā: devotion
• bhaktyā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• mauli-baddha-kara-aṃjaliḥ: with joined hands held at the head
• mauli-baddha-kara-aṃjaliḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mauli + baddha (कृदन्त; √bandh) + kara + aṃjali (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला (मौलौ बद्धः कराञ्जलिः यस्य)

• adhyasta-vistīrṇa-śilam: seated upon a broad rock
• adhyasta-vistīrṇa-śilam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhyasta (कृदन्त; adhi-√as/√sthā-प्रयोग) + vistīrṇa (कृदन्त; vi-√stṛ) + śila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (विस्तीर्णशिलम्, तत्र अध्यस्तम्)

• bali-dhvaṃsinam: destroyer of Bali
• bali-dhvaṃsinam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bali + dhvaṃsin (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (बलिं ध्वंसयति इति)

• acyutam: Acyuta (Vishnu)
• acyutam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विष्णोर्नाम

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat/āsana-śilā (localized sacred seat)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (chapter frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Acyuta seated on a wide stone platform, serene yet majestic; the sage stands before him with hands joined and lifted to the crown, eyes moist with devotion; subtle iconographic hints of Trivikrama (cosmic stride) in aura or posture.

Characters & Entities

• Acyuta (Viṣṇu)
• Bali

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion becomes complete when expressed through reverent bodily gestures and heartfelt praise of the Lord’s divine deeds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī region’s sanctity is the frame; the worship scene anticipates the Pañcanadā locale named next.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Anjali (joined palms) and stuti (hymn) are demonstrated as devotional practices.