Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

ततो गौरीं विरूपाक्ष देवयान्या उदग्दिशि । पूजयित्वा नरो भक्त्या वांछितां लभते श्रियम्

Transliteration

tato gaurīṃ virūpākṣa devayānyā udagdiśi | pūjayitvā naro bhaktyā vāṃchitāṃ labhate śriyam

Translation

ನಂತರ ಉತ್ತರದಿಕ್ಕಿನಲ್ಲಿ ವಿರೂಪಾಕ್ಷ-ದೇವಯಾನಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇರುವ ಗೌರಿಯನ್ನು ಭಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ಪೂಜಿಸಿದರೆ, ಮನುಷ್ಯನು ಬಯಸಿದ ಶ್ರೀ—ಸಮೃದ್ಧಿ ಮತ್ತು ಕ್ಷೇಮ—ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಾನೆ।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; कालवाचक-अव्ययम् — Indeclinable adverb (then)

• gaurīm: Gaurī
• gaurīm: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaurī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Feminine Accusative Singular

• virūpākṣa: O Virūpākṣa
• virūpākṣa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virūpākṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Masculine Vocative Singular

• devayānyāḥ: of Devayānī
• devayānyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devayānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Feminine Genitive Singular

• udak-diśi: in the northern direction
• udak-diśi: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udak (प्रातिपदिक) + diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Feminine Locative Singular; दिक्शब्दः — in the northern direction

• pūjayitvā: having worshipped
• pūjayitvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √pūj (पूज्) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund) — having worshipped

• naraḥ: a man
• naraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Masculine Nominative Singular

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Karaṇa (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Feminine Instrumental Singular

• vāṃchitām: desired
• vāṃchitām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāṃchita (कृदन्त; √vāñch वाञ्छ् + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Feminine Accusative Singular; विशेषणम् (to śriyam)

• labhate: obtains
• labhate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √labh (लभ्)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् — Present, Middle, 3rd person singular

• śriyam: prosperity/fortune
• śriyam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् — Feminine Accusative Singular

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaurī at Virūpākṣa–Devayānī

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee turns north and worships radiant Gaurī at the Virūpākṣa–Devayānī spot; Gaurī’s calm, luminous presence grants desired śrī.

Characters & Entities

• Gaurī
• Virūpākṣa-Devayānī
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti-filled worship of the Devī in Kāśī is presented as a dharmic means to obtain rightful prosperity and auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Virūpākṣa-Devayānī in Kāśī, where Gaurī is to be worshipped (noted as lying to the north).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā of Gaurī with devotion (bhakti) to gain the desired śrī (prosperity).