Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । गजासुर प्रसन्नोस्मि महापौरुषशेवधे । स्वानुकूल वरं ब्रूहि ददामि सुमतेऽसुर

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | gajāsura prasannosmi mahāpauruṣaśevadhe | svānukūla varaṃ brūhi dadāmi sumate'sura

Translation

Der Herr sprach: „Gajāsura, ich bin zufrieden—o Schatz großer Heldenkraft. Sprich einen dir genehmen Wunschsegen aus; ich gewähre ihn dir, o kluggesinnter Asura.“

Word by Word

• ईश्वरः: Īśvara (Lord)
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Speaker tag/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गजासुर: O Gajāsura
• गजासुर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• प्रसन्नः: pleased
• प्रसन्नः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महापौरुषशेवधे: O treasure of great manliness
• महापौरुषशेवधे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापौरुष + शेवधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महापौरुषस्य शेवधिः)

• स्वानुकूल: favorable to you
• स्वानुकूल: Karma (Qualifier of object/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + अनुकूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य अनुकूलः)

• वरम्: boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• ब्रूहि: tell, speak
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ददामि: I give
• ददामि: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सुमते: O good-minded one
• सुमते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचन

• असुर: O Asura
• असुर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva speaks as Īśvara, praising Gajāsura’s valor and inviting him to choose a boon; the moment balances tenderness with sovereign authority.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Īśvara)
• Gajāsura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divinity is not merely punitive; Śiva rewards genuine courage, humility, and truth with grace and boons.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s sacred atmosphere is the narrative backdrop, presenting Śiva as readily bestowing boons within his kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is the formal offer of a boon (vara) in the story.