Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

स्कंद उवाच । आकर्णय मुने वच्मि कथां श्रमनिवारिणीम् । यथा देवेन कथितां त्रिविष्टपसमुद्भवाम्

Transliteration

skaṃda uvāca | ākarṇaya mune vacmi kathāṃ śramanivāriṇīm | yathā devena kathitāṃ triviṣṭapasamudbhavām

Translation

Skanda dit : Écoute, ô sage ; je te dirai le récit qui dissipe la fatigue, tel que le Seigneur l’a énoncé, une histoire née de Traiviṣṭapa, le séjour céleste.

Word by Word

• स्कन्दः: Skanda
• स्कन्दः: Karta (Speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• आकर्णय: listen
• आकर्णय: Kriya (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √कर्णय्/√कर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• वच्मि: I speak, I tell
• वच्मि: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• कथाम्: a story
• कथाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• श्रमनिवारिणीम्: removing fatigue
• श्रमनिवारिणीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रम + निवारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (श्रमं निवारयति इति) विशेषण (कथाम्)

• यथा: as, how
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यथार्थक/प्रकारवाचक (as, in the manner that)

• देवेन: by the god
• देवेन: Karana (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• कथिताम्: told, narrated
• कथिताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कथित (कृदन्त; √कथ् (धातु))
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (कथाम्)

• त्रिविष्टपसमुद्भवाम्: arising from heaven (Triviṣṭapa)
• त्रिविष्टपसमुद्भवाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिविष्टप + समुद्भवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रिविष्टपात् समुद्भवा) विशेषण (कथाम्)

Speaker

Skanda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (muni)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda begins the narration, inviting the sage to listen; the atmosphere is soothing, as if the story itself dispels travel-weariness.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Śiva (Deva)
• Triviṣṭapa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic kathā is restorative and purifying; attentive listening connects the seeker to divine, heaven-rooted wisdom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching setting of Kāśīkhaṇḍa; this verse introduces a sub-narrative within its Mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa—listen attentively to the kathā as the recommended engagement.