Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

यायजूकाय यज्ञाय यज्ञानां फलदायिने । रुद्राय रुद्रपतये कद्रुद्राय रमाय च

Transliteration

yāyajūkāya yajñāya yajñānāṃ phaladāyine | rudrāya rudrapataye kadrudrāya ramāya ca

Translation

Salutations to the Priest of priests, to the Sacrifice itself, and to the Giver of the fruits of all sacrifices. Salutations to Rudra, to the Lord of the Rudras, to the fiercely Rudra—yet also the source of delight and repose.

Word by Word

• यायजूकाय: to the sacrificer/priest
• यायजूकाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यायजूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• यज्ञाय: to the sacrifice
• यज्ञाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• यज्ञानाम्: of sacrifices
• यज्ञानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• फलदायिने: to the giver of fruits (results)
• फलदायिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल-दायिन् (प्रातिपदिक); फल (प्रातिपदिक) + दायिन् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; (समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: फलस्य दायिन्)

• रुद्राय: to Rudra
• रुद्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• रुद्रपतये: to the lord of the Rudras
• रुद्रपतये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र-पति (प्रातिपदिक); रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; (समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: रुद्राणां पतिः)

• कद्रुद्राय: to Kadrudra (a name/epithet)
• कद्रुद्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कद्रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• रमाय: to Ramā (Lakṣmī)
• रमाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī / Viśveśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee in Kāśī offers oblations before a Śiva-liṅga; behind, a subtle cosmic yajña-fire merges into Śiva’s form—Rudra as both sacrificer and sacrifice, serene yet formidable.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Rudra
• Rudras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All ritual efficacy ultimately depends on Śiva; He is both the inner yajña and the giver of its fruits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the textual frame; the verse aligns Kāśī-dharma with Śiva-centered worship beyond mere external ritual.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajña is referenced doctrinally; the implied practice is offering and worship with recognition of Śiva as the fruit-giver.