Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

प्रणवादिचतुर्थ्यन्तैर्नामभिर्भक्तिमान्नरः । प्रत्येकं हवनं कृत्वा शतमष्टोत्तरं निशि

Transliteration

praṇavādicaturthyantairnāmabhirbhaktimānnaraḥ | pratyekaṃ havanaṃ kṛtvā śatamaṣṭottaraṃ niśi

Translation

L’homme dévot, usant des noms qui commencent par le Praṇava et vont jusqu’au quatrième, doit accomplir le havana, chacun séparément, cent huit fois dans la nuit.

Word by Word

• प्रणवादि-चतुर्थ्यन्तैः: with names beginning with praṇava and ending in the dative (case)
• प्रणवादि-चतुर्थ्यन्तैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणव + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुर्थी + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; नामभिः इति विशेषणम्; समासः: (प्रणव-आदि) + (चतुर्थी-अन्त) — ‘ending in the dative case, beginning with praṇava’

• नामभिः: with names
• नामभिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• भक्तिमान्: devout
• भक्तिमान्: कर्ता (Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति + मतुप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त — ‘possessing devotion’

• नरः: a man
• नरः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रत्येकम्: each (time), individually
• प्रत्येकम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + एक (अव्ययीभाव-समास)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण — ‘each time/for each (name)’

• हवनम्: offering into fire (homa)
• हवनम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (पूर्वकर्म/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: कर्म (Count/measure of havana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• अष्टोत्तरम्: with eight added (i.e., 108)
• अष्टोत्तरम्: कर्म (Count-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; शतम् इति विशेषणम्; अष्ट-उत्तर = ‘eight more’ (i.e., 108)

• निशि: at night
• निशि: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night homa in a Kāśī courtyard: a square fire altar, ladle pouring ghee, smoke rising with fragrant resin; the devotee recites praṇava-led names; a counting mālā nearby; stars above the ghāṭa skyline.

Characters & Entities

• Praṇava (Oṃ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion becomes disciplined power when joined to mantra-structure and counted offerings (108), especially in sacred-night observance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The rite is framed within Kāśīkhaṇḍa, implying performance within Kāśī’s sanctified ritual geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Homa with praṇava-led names/formulas, offered separately, totaling 108 offerings at night.