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

সহস্ৰাক্ষ, শুভ্ৰ-পৱিত্ৰ প্ৰভু, কৃত্তিবাস ধাৰী—তোমাক নমস্কাৰ। অন্ধকাসুৰ-মোক্ষদাতা আৰু পশুপতি, সকলো জীৱৰ অধিপতি—তোমালৈ প্ৰণাম।

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.