Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

स्थिते तत्रोमया सार्धं स्वेच्छया कृत्तिवाससि । आगत्य नंदी विज्ञप्तिं चक्रे प्रणतिपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

sthite tatromayā sārdhaṃ svecchayā kṛttivāsasi | āgatya naṃdī vijñaptiṃ cakre praṇatipūrvakam

Translation

Als Er dort mit Umā nach eigenem Willen in Kṛttivāsa verweilte, kam Nandī herbei und brachte, nach ehrerbietiger Verneigung, eine Bitte vor.

Word by Word

• स्थिते: when (he was) situated
• स्थिते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) — 'being situated'

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable); स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• उमया: with Umā
• उमया: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (meaning 'together with')

• स्वेच्छया: by (his) own will
• स्वेच्छया: Hetu/Instrument (Cause/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वेच्छा (प्रातिपदिक) = स्व + इच्छा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वस्य इच्छा)

• कृत्तिवाससि: in/at Kṛttivāsa (Śiva)
• कृत्तिवाससि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्ति-वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कृत्तिः वासः यस्य/कृत्त्या वासः) — epithet of Śiva

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु) → आगत्य
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) — 'having come'

• नन्दी: Nandī
• नन्दी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; इन्-प्रत्ययान्त प्रातिपदिक

• विज्ञप्तिम्: a request/statement
• विज्ञप्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• चक्रे: made/uttered
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• प्रणतिपूर्वकम्: after bowing / respectfully
• प्रणतिपूर्वकम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रणति-पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial) — 'with prior obeisance'

Speaker

Skanda (contextual narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kṛttivāsa (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Likely sages (e.g., Śaunaka’s circle) / pilgrims (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva in serene repose with Umā at Kṛttivāsa; Nandī approaches from the side, hands folded, head bowed, about to speak; temple ambience with lamps and bilva leaves.

Characters & Entities

• Umā
• Nandī
• Kṛttivāsa
• Śiva (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional etiquette is modeled: even Nandī approaches the Lord with humility and formal reverence before speaking.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kṛttivāsa/Rudrāvāsa locale in Kāśī, where Śiva stays with Umā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied practice is praṇati—bowing/obeisance as the proper prelude to prayer and request.