Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 60
स्तुतिकर्तुं न जानामि स्तुतिप्रिय महेश्वर । तव पादांबुजद्वंद्वे निर्द्वंद्वा भक्तिरस्तु मे
stutikartuṃ na jānāmi stutipriya maheśvara | tava pādāṃbujadvaṃdve nirdvaṃdvā bhaktirastu me
Je ne sais comment t’offrir une louange digne, ô Maheśvara qui te plais aux hymnes. Pourtant, qu’en moi demeure une dévotion ferme, sans dualité, aux deux lotus de tes pieds.
Budha (continuing stuti)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A devotee bows at Śiva’s lotus feet, hands folded, eyes lowered; the emphasis is on the feet (pādāmbuja-dvandva) radiating calm, while the devotee’s face shows humble sincerity rather than triumph.
FAQs
Even without eloquence, sincere humility and steady devotion at Śiva’s feet are the highest offering.
Kāśī is implied; the verse supports the Kāśī ideal of single-pointed devotion to Viśvanātha/Śiva.
The inner discipline is prescribed: nirdvandvā bhakti—devotion free from agitation and duality.