Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

देवि तस्येदमाकर्ण्य परोपकृतिशालिनः । वचनं नितरां प्रीतस्तथेति तमुवाच ह

Transliteration

devi tasyedamākarṇya paropakṛtiśālinaḥ | vacanaṃ nitarāṃ prītastatheti tamuvāca ha

Translation

O Göttin, als der Herr die Worte jenes an Wohltätigkeit reichen Mannes vernahm, wurde er überaus erfreut und sprach zu ihm: «So sei es».

Word by Word

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन; vocative singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; genitive singular (of him)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular (object of hearing)

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-कर्ण् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त-अव्यय; ‘having heard’

• परोपकृतिशालिनः: of the one devoted to helping others
• परोपकृतिशालिनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकृति (प्रातिपदिक) + शालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (परेषाम् उपकृतिः यस्य सः); genitive singular (qualifying ‘तस्य’)

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular

• नितराम्: exceedingly
• नितराम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नितराम् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/तीव्रता-अव्यय; adverb ‘exceedingly’

• प्रीतः: pleased
• प्रीतः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीत (प्रातिपदिक; क्त from प्री)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) used adjectivally

• तथा: so
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय; adverb ‘so/thus’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-सूचक-अव्यय; quotative particle

• तम्: to him/him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; perfect 3rd sg

• ह: indeed/forsooth
• ह: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: स्मरण/खलु-अर्थक-अव्यय; expletive particle

Speaker

Caṇḍikā (Devī), addressing Devī/Agastya-frame as ‘Devi’ in narration style

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (as addressee) and audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, delighted, speaks ‘tathāstu’ to the benevolent ascetic; the Goddess is addressed in narration, suggesting her presence as witness—Śiva and Devī together radiate approval while the followers look on.

Characters & Entities

• Caṇḍikā (Devī)
• Paropakārī sage (Vasiṣṭha implied)
• The Lord (Śiva/Kedāra principle implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divinity is especially pleased by paropakāra (benevolence), and swiftly grants such selfless requests.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative continues within Kāśī’s Kedāra-kṣetra Mahatmya, highlighting the site as a locus of quick divine assent.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse highlights the ethical ‘rite’ of compassion as spiritually efficacious.