Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

प्रणम्य दंडवद्भूमौ परितुष्टाव धूर्जटिम् । सूक्तैर्जन्मांतराभ्यस्तैः सुहृष्टो रुद्रदेवतैः

Transliteration

praṇamya daṃḍavadbhūmau parituṣṭāva dhūrjaṭim | sūktairjanmāṃtarābhyastaiḥ suhṛṣṭo rudradevataiḥ

Translation

Sich der Länge nach zur Erde niederwerfend, pries er Dhūrjaṭi (Śiva) mit Hymnen, die er in früheren Geburten geübt hatte; voll Freude, Rudra als seine erwählte Gottheit verehrend.

Word by Word

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल; having bowed

• दण्डवत्: prostrately
• दण्डवत्: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (अव्यय/तद्धितान्त)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: like a staff, prostrate)

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular (on the ground)

• परितुष्टाव: praised
• परितुष्टाव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + तुष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd person singular (praised/satisfied—here ‘praised’)

• धूर्जटिम्: Dhūrjaṭi (Śiva)
• धूर्जटिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूर्जटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; epithet of Śiva

• सूक्तैः: with hymns
• सूक्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (with hymns)

• जन्म-अन्तर-अभ्यस्तैः: practised in previous births
• जन्म-अन्तर-अभ्यस्तैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + अभ्यस्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural; विशेषणम् सूक्तैः प्रति (practised in former births)

• सुहृष्टः: greatly delighted
• सुहृष्टः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुहृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; predicate adjective (very delighted)

• रुद्र-देवतैः: with Rudra-deities
• रुद्र-देवतैः: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (with Rudra-deities / with deities of Rudra)

Speaker

Narrator (contextually Skanda)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-liṅga (unspecified)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The prince lies prostrate (daṇḍavat) before the radiant liṅga, then rises to sing ancient hymns as Rudra’s devotee, face lit with joy.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Dhūrjaṭi/Rudra)
• Prince

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility (prostration) and heartfelt stotra-bhakti awaken deep spiritual impressions and please Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kāśī’s sacred narrative, such acts of devotion are portrayed as especially fruitful in the kṣetra of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Daṇḍavat-praṇāma (full prostration) and stotra-recitation are implied devotional practices.