Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 240

Devanagari script

प्रणम्य दूरादपिच संप्रहृष्टतनूरुहः । अभ्युत्थातुं मनश्चक्रे शंखचक्रगदाधरः

Transliteration

praṇamya dūrādapica saṃprahṛṣṭatanūruhaḥ | abhyutthātuṃ manaścakre śaṃkhacakragadādharaḥ

Translation

Après s’être prosterné même de loin, le poil du corps hérissé de joie, le porteur de conque, de disque et de massue résolut en son cœur de se lever pour accueillir.

Word by Word

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-रूप (absolutive/क्त्वान्तार्थ), ‘having bowed’

• दूरात्: from a distance
• दूरात्: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्ययीभूत (ablatival adverb): ‘from afar’

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: ‘also/even’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction: ‘and’)

• संप्रहृष्टतनूरुहः: with hairs standing on end (thrilled)
• संप्रहृष्टतनूरुहः: Visheshaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं-प्र-हृष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) + तनू-रुह (प्रातिपदिक; तनू + रुह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘यस्य तनूरुहाः संप्रहृष्टाः’ (whose body-hairs are thrilled)

• अभ्युत्थातुम्: to rise up
• अभ्युत्थातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-उत्-स्था (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to rise/stand up’

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म) एकवचन (कर्मवत् प्रयोगः)

• चक्रे: made/did
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शंखचक्रगदाधरः: the bearer of conch, discus, and mace
• शंखचक्रगदाधरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख-चक्र-गदा-धर (प्रातिपदिक; शंख + चक्र + गदा + धर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (शंखं चक्रं गदां च धरति)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced narrator-voice within Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee or divine attendant holding conch, discus, and mace bows from a distance; hair standing on end; then rises with folded hands to welcome an approaching revered figure, with Kāśī’s temple spires or ghat steps behind.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkha
• Cakra
• Gadā
• Nārāyaṇa/Viṣṇu form (implied by attributes)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion is marked by reverence even at a distance and by inner transformation—joy, humility, and readiness to honor the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a devotional narrative moment within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (bowing) and respectful reception (abhyutthāna—rising to greet), presented as devotional etiquette.