Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

ते श्रुत्वा देवदेवस्य पुनरागमनं मुने । तपःकृशा अतितरामासुरानंद मेदुराः

Transliteration

te śrutvā devadevasya punarāgamanaṃ mune | tapaḥkṛśā atitarāmāsurānaṃda medurāḥ

Translation

En entendant, ô sage, le retour du Dieu des dieux, ces ascètes—bien que amaigris par les austérités—furent d’autant plus comblés, comme gonflés de joie.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (masc., nominative plural; 'they')

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): 'having heard'

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध-षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (masc., genitive singular; 'of the god of gods')

• पुनरागमनम्: return
• पुनरागमनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुनर् (अव्यय) + आगमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (neut., accusative singular; 'return/coming again')

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन (masc., vocative singular)

• तपःकृशाः: worn thin by austerities
• तपःकृशाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् + कृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (masc., nominative plural; 'emaciated by austerity')

• अतितराम्: exceedingly
• अतितराम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतितराम् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/तीव्रतावाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'exceedingly')

• आसुः: were
• आसुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/लुङ्-रूपसदृशं (परस्मैपद), प्रथमा-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; 'आसुः' = 'they were' (3rd pl.)

• आसुरानन्दमेदुराः: filled with asuric (demonic) joy
• आसुरानन्दमेदुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसुर + आनन्द + मेदुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (masc., nominative plural; 'full of demonic joy')

Speaker

Skanda (narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta) / Daṇḍakhātā precinct

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Emaciated ascetics, ribs visible from austerity, suddenly radiant with joy—faces uplifted, eyes bright—upon hearing news of Devadeva’s return; the sacred pond and liṅgas nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Śiva (Devadeva)
• Ascetics

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity may thin the body, but devotion thickens the heart with bliss—news of Śiva’s presence becomes the devotees’ greatest nourishment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī setting around the tīrtha and liṅgas is implied; the focus is on the devotees’ response to Śiva’s return.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse highlights bhakti’s emotional fruit (ānanda) accompanying tapas and sacred expectation.