Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

मन्नामोच्चारणपरान्मत्कथार्पितसुश्रुतीन् । मद्दत्तचित्तसद्वृत्तीन्दृष्ट्वा क्षेत्रनिवासिनः

Transliteration

mannāmoccāraṇaparānmatkathārpitasuśrutīn | maddattacittasadvṛttīndṛṣṭvā kṣetranivāsinaḥ

Translation

Seeing them—intent on uttering my Name, with reverent hearing devoted to my sacred narratives, and endowed with good conduct and minds offered to me—the residents of the holy precinct took notice.

Word by Word

• मत्: my/of me
• मत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचन (Genitive singular), सर्वनाम (pronoun) — ‘of me/my’ (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular) — समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• उच्चारण: uttering/pronunciation
• उच्चारण: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्+चर् (धातु) → उच्चारण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular) — भाववाचक (action-noun)

• परान्: intent on/devoted to
• परान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन (Accusative plural) — विशेषण; ‘devoted/intent on’ (परः = तत्परः)

• मत्: my/of me
• मत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचन (Genitive singular) — ‘of me/my’ (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• कथा: story/discourse
• कथा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular) — समासाङ्ग

• अर्पित: dedicated/offered
• अर्पित: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्प् (धातु) → अर्पित (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन (Accusative plural) — भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; ‘offered/dedicated’

• सुश्रुतीन्: good listeners
• सुश्रुतीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुश्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन (Accusative plural) — ‘good hearers/listeners’

• मत्: my/by me
• मत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचन (Genitive singular) — ‘by me/of me’ (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• दत्त: given
• दत्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/समासाङ्ग; ‘given’ (in compound)

• चित्त: mind
• चित्त: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular) — समासाङ्ग; ‘mind’

• सत्: good/virtuous
• सत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग; ‘good/virtuous’

• वृत्तीन्: conduct/ways
• वृत्तीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन (Accusative plural) — ‘conduct/ways’

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to main action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — ‘having seen’

• क्षेत्र: the sacred field (Kāśī)
• क्षेत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-एकवचनार्थे समासाङ्ग — ‘in the sacred field (Kāśī)’

• निवासिनः: residents
• निवासिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नि+वस् (धातु) → निवासिन् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative plural) — ‘residents/dwellers’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (context leading to Kukkuṭamaṇḍapa/Muktimaṇḍapa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viṣṇu (explicitly addressed in nearby verse 48.86; dialogue likely continues)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Within the lanes/precinct of Kāśī, kṣetra-nivāsins observe devotees absorbed in Śiva’s name and stories, their demeanor gentle and disciplined, suggesting an unseen sanctifying presence.

Characters & Entities

• Muktimaṇḍapa (context)
• Kāśī-kṣetra residents
• Nāma-japa (my Name)
• Kathā-śravaṇa (hearing sacred stories)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True sanctity is marked by nāma-japa, devoted listening to dharmic kathā, and steady good conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī-kṣetra setting around Muktimaṇḍapa is implied as the arena where such bhakti is recognized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nāma-ucchāraṇa (japa/chanting) and kathā-śravaṇa (hearing sacred narratives) are highlighted.