Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

महापूजोपहारैश्च महाबलिनिवेदनैः । दास्यत्यभीष्टदा सिद्धिं दुर्गा काश्यां न संशयः

Transliteration

mahāpūjopahāraiśca mahābalinivedanaiḥ | dāsyatyabhīṣṭadā siddhiṃ durgā kāśyāṃ na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

With grand offerings of worship and with substantial oblations, Durgā in Kāśī will grant the fulfillment that bestows one’s desired attainments—of this there is no doubt.

Word by Word

• mahāpūjopahāraiḥ: with great worship-offerings
• mahāpūjopahāraiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + upahāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; समास: महा-पূजा-उपहार (विशेषणपूर्वपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• mahābalinivedanaiḥ: with great oblation-offerings
• mahābalinivedanaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bali (प्रातिपदिक) + nivedana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (nivedana), तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समास: महा-बलि-निवेदन (great oblation-presentations)

• dāsyati: will give
• dāsyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• abhīṣṭadā: giver of the desired (boon)
• abhīṣṭadā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhīṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + dā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय: ‘अभीष्टं ददाति या’

• siddhim: success/accomplishment
• siddhim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• durgā: Durgā
• durgā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• kāśyām: in Kāśī
• kāśyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• na: no/not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• saṃśayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘न संशयः’ इति नास्तित्वे प्रयोग

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context) to Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand Kāśī temple pūjā: heaps of red flowers, rows of lamps, rich cloth, and a large naivedya arrangement before Durgā; priests and devotees in coordinated ritual, culminating in a moment of blessing.

Characters & Entities

• Durgā
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverent, generous worship in a highly sanctified place is portrayed as a powerful catalyst for attaining legitimate aims (siddhi).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), where Durgā is described as especially efficacious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer enhanced worship (mahāpūjā-upahāra) and present bali/oblations as part of the rite.