Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

शर्वरीरहितशर्वसर्वगस्वर्गमार्गसुखदापवर्गद । अंधकासुररिपो कपर्दभृत्त्वां नतोस्मि नतवांछितप्रद

Transliteration

śarvarīrahitaśarvasarvagasvargamārgasukhadāpavargada | aṃdhakāsuraripo kapardabhṛttvāṃ natosmi natavāṃchitaprada

Translation

O Śarva, untouched by darkness; all-pervading; giver of the joy of the path to heaven and giver of liberation; O foe of the asura Andhaka; O wearer of matted locks—I bow to You. Grant the desired boons to those who bow.

Word by Word

• शर्वरीरहित: O one free from darkness/night
• शर्वरीरहित: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्वरी + रहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; 'शर्वरी (रात्रि/तमस्) रहितः'

• शर्व: O Śarva
• शर्व: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्व (प्रातिपदिक; शिवनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• सर्वग: O all-pervading one
• सर्वग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + ग (प्रातिपदिक; √गम् से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; 'सर्वत्र गच्छति'

• स्वर्गमार्गसुखद: O giver of bliss on the path to heaven
• स्वर्गमार्गसुखद: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग + मार्ग + सुखद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; 'स्वर्गमार्गस्य सुखं ददाति'

• अपवर्गद: O giver of liberation
• अपवर्गद: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपवर्ग + द (प्रातिपदिक; √दा धातु से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; 'अपवर्गं (मोक्षं) ददाति'

• अन्धकासुररिपो: O foe of the demon Andhaka
• अन्धकासुररिपो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धकासुर + रिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; 'अन्धकासुरस्य रिपुः'

• कपर्दभृत्: O wearer of matted hair
• कपर्दभृत्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपर्द + भृ (धातु) → भृत् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; 'कपर्दं बिभर्ति'

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• नतः: bowed
• नतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नत (प्रातिपदिक; √नम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नतवाञ्छितप्रद: O giver of desired boons to the bowed
• नतवाञ्छितप्रद: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नत + वाञ्छित + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

Speaker

Mārtaṇḍa (Sūrya), inferred from context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśvanātha (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva as Kapardin with matted locks, luminous and all-pervading; a subdued depiction of Andhaka’s defeat in the background; the devotee bows seeking both heaven’s path and liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śarva)
• Andhakāsura
• Kapardī (matted-hair Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva grants both worldly elevation (svarga) and the highest goal (mokṣa); devotion aligns life toward liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, where Śiva is especially revered as the giver of apavarga (final release).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the implied practice is stotra-japa and bowing to Śiva.