Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

नमस्ते खंडपरशो नमः खंडें दुधारिणे । खंडिताशेष दुःखाय खड्गखेटकधारिणे

Transliteration

namaste khaṃḍaparaśo namaḥ khaṃḍeṃ dudhāriṇe | khaṃḍitāśeṣa duḥkhāya khaḍgakheṭakadhāriṇe

Translation

Salutations to You, O wielder of the cleaving axe; salutations to You who bear the cleaver. Salutations to Him who cuts away all sorrow, and to Him who holds sword and shield.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थक-प्रयोग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नमस्ते इति संधौ रूपम्

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enclitic)

• खण्डपरशो: O cleaving-axe bearer
• खण्डपरशो: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + परशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; संज्ञा (O wielder of the broken/cleaving axe)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थक-प्रयोग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• खण्डे: O cleaver; O destroyer
• खण्डे: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पाठे 'खण्डें' इति नासिक्ययुक्त-लिप्यन्तरं, अर्थतः सम्बोधन 'खण्डे'

• दुधारिणे: to the terrible bearer
• दुधारिणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दु (उपसर्ग) + धारिन् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; धृ धातोः णिनि/इन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (bearer of the formidable/terrible [weapon])

• खण्डिताशेषदुःखाय: to the destroyer of all sorrow
• खण्डिताशेषदुःखाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खण्डित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; खण्ड् धातोः क्त) + अशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to him who has destroyed all sorrow)

• खड्गखेटकधारिणे: to the bearer of sword and shield
• खड्गखेटकधारिणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खड्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + खेटक (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिन् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; धृ धातोः णिनि/इन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (bearer of sword and shield)

Speaker

Jaigīṣavya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim-audience / ṛṣi audience (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva appears as a protective warrior-ascetic, holding axe/cleaver, sword and shield; around him, shadows of sorrow and fear are shown being cut away, while devotees stand safely behind.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is both protector and liberator—He ‘cuts’ the root of sorrow and defends devotees from fear.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred frame; the hymn praises the Lord who grants fearlessness and release in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; it functions as protective stotra-recitation invoking Śiva’s guardianship.