Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

आनंदकानने चात्र स्वैरं तिष्ठामि देवताः । अनुग्रहाय सर्वेषां भक्तानामिह सर्वदा

Transliteration

ānaṃdakānane cātra svairaṃ tiṣṭhāmi devatāḥ | anugrahāya sarveṣāṃ bhaktānāmiha sarvadā

Translation

Et ici, dans l’Ānandakānana, Je demeure en toute liberté, ô dieux—toujours en ce lieu, pour la grâce et l’élévation de tous les dévots.

Word by Word

• आनन्दकानने: in the forest of bliss (Ānandakānana)
• आनन्दकानने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द-कानन (प्रातिपदिक; आनन्द + कानन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आनन्दस्य काननम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• स्वैरम्: freely, at will
• स्वैरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वैर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावेन (adverbial accusative)

• तिष्ठामि: I remain / I stand
• तिष्ठामि: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवताः: O deities
• देवताः: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), बहुवचन

• अनुग्रहाय: for (showing) grace
• अनुग्रहाय: Sampradana (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (भक्तानाम्)

• भक्तानाम्: of devotees
• भक्तानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kala-adhikarana (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Śiva (addressing devatās; first-person dwelling in Ānandakānana)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandakānana (within Kāśī/Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devas (and by extension pilgrims/śrotṛs)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva speaks to the assembled devas, declaring his free, perpetual dwelling in Kāśī’s Ānandakānana for the uplift of devotees; the grove glows with sacred trees, ghāṭa silhouettes, and a distant liṅga-shrine aura.

Characters & Entities

• Ānandakānana
• Devatās
• Bhaktas
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is portrayed as a living abode of grace where Śiva remains accessible for devotees’ welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ānandakānana—an epithet for the sacred Kāśī region associated with Viśveśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the verse emphasizes divine presence and anugraha (grace).