Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

सहस्राक्षाय शुभ्राय नमस्ते कृत्तिवाससे । अन्धकासुरमोक्षाय पशूनां पतये नमः

Transliteration

sahasrākṣāya śubhrāya namaste kṛttivāsase | andhakāsuramokṣāya paśūnāṃ pataye namaḥ

Translation

سلامٌ لك، يا ذا الألف عين، يا النورانيّ الطاهر؛ سلامٌ لك يا كْرِتّيفاسا (Kṛttivāsa) لابسَ الجلد. وسجودٌ لمُخلِّص أندهاكاسورا، ولسيّد الكائنات باشوبتي (Paśupati).

Word by Word

• सहस्राक्षाय: to the thousand-eyed one
• सहस्राक्षाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र + अक्षि/अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (बहुव्रीहि) — सहस्रम् अक्षीणि यस्य (thousand-eyed)

• शुभ्राय: to the pure/white one
• शुभ्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (white/pure)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Salutation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थे

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन — ‘to you’

• कृत्तिवाससे: to the wearer of a skin garment
• कृत्तिवाससे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्ति + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — कृत्तिः वासः यस्य/कृत्तिं वासयति (wearer of skin)

• अन्धकासुरमोक्षाय: for the deliverance (or slaying) of Andhakāsura
• अन्धकासुरमोक्षाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धकासुर + मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — अन्धकासुरस्य मोक्षाय (for the liberation/slaying of Andhakāsura)

• पशूनाम्: of beings/creatures
• पशूनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पतये: to the lord
• पतये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Salutation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थे

Speaker

Unspecified (stotra voice within Tīrthamāhātmya narration; attributed to the hymn-reciter in the chapter)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva radiant and white-pure, with many eyes (sahasrākṣa motif), wearing a tiger/elephant hide (kṛttivāsa), standing as Paśupati; in the background, the subdued Andhakāsura is shown receiving liberation rather than mere destruction.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Paśupati
• Andhakāsura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is the compassionate Lord who subdues darkness (Andhaka) and frees bound beings, making the tīrtha a place of inner liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The shloka is part of a broader tīrtha-māhātmya chapter; the specific site is not named inside this verse alone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it supports devotional recitation (stuti/japa) as an offering to Śiva at pilgrimage sites.