Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

व्यासाष्टकमिदं प्रातः पठितव्यं प्रयत्नतः । दुःस्वप्नपापशमनं शिवसान्निध्यकारकम्

Transliteration

vyāsāṣṭakamidaṃ prātaḥ paṭhitavyaṃ prayatnataḥ | duḥsvapnapāpaśamanaṃ śivasānnidhyakārakam

Translation

This “Vyāsa Aṣṭaka” should be recited in the morning with diligence. It pacifies evil dreams and sins, and it brings about the nearness of Śiva’s presence.

Word by Word

• व्यासाष्टकम्: the Vyāsa-aṣṭaka (eight-verse hymn)
• व्यासाष्टकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (व्यासस्य अष्टकम्)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रातः: in the morning
• प्रातः: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: in the morning)

• पठितव्यम्: should be recited
• पठितव्यम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (to be recited)

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort, diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb); प्रकारवाचक (with effort)

• दुःस्वप्नपापशमनम्: remover of bad dreams and sins
• दुःस्वप्नपापशमनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःस्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + शमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (दुःस्वप्नानां पापानां च शमनम्) विशेषण

• शिवसान्निध्यकारकम्: causing the presence of Śiva
• शिवसान्निध्यकारकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + सान्निध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य सान्निध्यं करोति इति) विशेषण

Speaker

Nandīkeśvara (continued instruction)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vyāsa (and by extension devotees)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At dawn, a devotee (or Vyāsa) recites the Vyāsa Aṣṭaka with effort; dark dream-forms dissolve, and a luminous sense of Śiva’s presence fills the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Daily disciplined devotion—especially at dawn—purifies the mind, removes negativity, and draws one toward Śiva’s presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching appears in the Kāśī Khaṇḍa framework; the wider glorification centers on Kāśī and Vyāseśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Morning recitation (prātaḥ-pāṭha) of the Vyāsa Aṣṭaka with earnest effort.