Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अथनेत्रातिथीकृत्य देवदेवं वृषध्वजम् । मंक्षु तार्क्ष्यादवारुह्य प्रणनाम श्रियः पतिः

Transliteration

athanetrātithīkṛtya devadevaṃ vṛṣadhvajam | maṃkṣu tārkṣyādavāruhya praṇanāma śriyaḥ patiḥ

Translation

Dann empfing er den Gott der Götter—Śiva, dessen Banner den Stier trägt—mit der Gastfreundschaft seiner eigenen Augen; und Viṣṇu, der Herr der Śrī, stieg eilends von Tārkṣya (Garuḍa) herab und verneigte sich.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/आरम्भबोधक (then/now)

• नेत्र: eye
• नेत्र: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद); in compound

• अतिथि: guest
• अतिथि: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद); in compound

• कृत्वा: having made (as)
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having made/done’

• देवदेवम्: the God of gods
• देवदेवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां देवः) ‘god of gods’; Accusative singular

• वृषध्वजम्: the bull-bannered (Śiva)
• वृषध्वजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य ध्वजः वृषः) epithet of Śiva; Accusative singular

• मंक्षु: quickly
• मंक्षु: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मंक्षु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (quickly)

• तार्क्ष्यात्: from Garuḍa
• तार्क्ष्यात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी एकवचन; Ablative singular (from Tārkṣya/Garuḍa)

• अवारुह्य: having descended
• अवारुह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अव-रुह् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वार्थ)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having descended’

• प्रणनाम: bowed down
• प्रणनाम: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘he bowed’

• श्रियः: of Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• श्रियः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन; Genitive singular (of Śrī/Lakṣmī)

• पतिः: lord, husband
• पतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; Nominative singular

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu, radiant and composed, descends swiftly from Garuḍa and bows to bull-bannered Śiva; the ‘hospitality of the eyes’ is shown as a tender, unwavering gaze before prostration.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Vṛṣadhvaja)
• Viṣṇu (Śriyaḥpati)
• Garuḍa (Tārkṣya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the highest deity exemplifies humility—Viṣṇu honors Śiva—teaching reverence beyond sectarian boundaries.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is implied as the sanctified arena where the God of gods is approached and worshipfully received.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is stated; the verse highlights darśana (welcoming gaze) and praṇāma (prostration).