Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

इति प्रणयपूर्वं स निशम्य दमनोऽब्रवीत् । भगोः पाशुपताचार्य सर्वज्ञाराधनप्रिय

Transliteration

iti praṇayapūrvaṃ sa niśamya damano'bravīt | bhagoḥ pāśupatācārya sarvajñārādhanapriya

Translation

Thus, addressed with affection, Damana listened and replied: “O venerable teacher of the Pāśupata path, beloved of the worship of the All-knowing Lord…”

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक (quotative)

• प्रणय: with affection
• प्रणय: Karaṇa (Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासपूर्वपद (with affection)

• पूर्वम्: in a prior/preceding (manner)
• पूर्वम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (adverbially: ‘before/previously’; here ‘in a prior/preceding manner’)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (pronoun)

• निशम्य: having heard
• निशम्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-√शम् (धातु) → निशम्य (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund)

• दमनः: Daman(a)
• दमनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; व्यक्तिनाम

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• भगोः: of the Lord (Bhaga)
• भगोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (gen. sg.); सम्भाव्यतः ‘भगवतः’ इत्यर्थे (of the Lord)

• पाशुपत: Pāśupata
• पाशुपत: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाशुपत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपदत्वेन विशेषणम्

• आचार्य: O teacher
• आचार्य: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (voc. sg.)

• सर्वज्ञ: O omniscient one
• सर्वज्ञ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासपूर्वपदत्वेन विशेषणम्

• आराधन: worship
• आराधन: Avayava (Part/अवयव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आराधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• प्रिय: O lover of
• प्रिय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिवत् संबोधन (dear/lover of)

Speaker

Damana

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Damana, having listened, replies with affectionate reverence—hands folded, eyes lowered—addressing the Pāśupata teacher and invoking the All-knowing Lord as beloved of worship.

Characters & Entities

• Damana
• Pāśupata Ācārya (Garga)
• Sarvajña (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual dialogue should be grounded in respect and affectionate sincerity; reverence opens the way for truthful narration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred milieu where Śiva is worshiped as Sarvajña and teachers of the Pāśupata path are encountered.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, ārādhana (devotional worship) of the All-knowing Lord (Śiva) is praised, though no procedure is detailed.