Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

शंभोः सखित्वमापेदे नाथोस्या भक्तियोगतः । निधीनां पद्ममुख्यानां दाता भोक्ता हरार्चनात्

Transliteration

śaṃbhoḥ sakhitvamāpede nāthosyā bhaktiyogataḥ | nidhīnāṃ padmamukhyānāṃ dātā bhoktā harārcanāt

Translation

Par la force de la dévotion, son seigneur obtint l’amitié de Śambhu ; et par le culte rendu à Hara, il devint à la fois dispensateur et jouisseur des trésors, au premier rang desquels Padma, le grand Nidhi.

Word by Word

• शंभोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• सखित्वम्: friendship
• सखित्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखित्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आपेदे: attained
• आपेदे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आपद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नाथः: the lord/master
• नाथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अस्याः: of her
• अस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• भक्तियोगतः: from devotion-yoga; due to devotional union
• भक्तियोगतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति + योग (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भक्तेः योगः)

• निधीनाम्: of treasures
• निधीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पद्ममुख्यानाम्: chief among (them), beginning with Padma
• पद्ममुख्यानाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्म + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पद्मः मुख्यः येषां/पद्ममुख्य)

• दाता: giver
• दाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा (धातु) + तृ (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि तृन्त्-प्रत्यय (agent noun)

• भोक्ता: enjoyer
• भोक्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + तृ (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि तृन्त्-प्रत्यय

• हरार्चनात्: from worship of Hara (Śiva)
• हरार्चनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हरस्य अर्चनम्)

Speaker

Gaṇas (continuing their narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śivaśarman (questioner)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee-lord, through intense Śiva-bhakti, is shown receiving Śiva’s friendly regard; treasures (nidhis) symbolically appear, with Padma-nidhi foremost, while the devotee offers worship at a liṅga in Kāśī.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Hara
• Kubera (implied by context)
• Padma-nidhi
• Nidhis (treasures)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wealth becomes dharmic and stable when rooted in devotion—Śiva-worship is presented as the sanctifying source of prosperity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a single tīrtha; the verse emphasizes Hara-arcana (Śiva worship) within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa devotional framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Harārcana—worship of Śiva (Hara) as the means to attain and rightly enjoy prosperity.