Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

इति श्रोतुं मम मनः श्रुतिगोचरतां गतम् । युवयोर्वाक्सुधास्वाद मेदुरोदरमंथरम्

Transliteration

iti śrotuṃ mama manaḥ śrutigocaratāṃ gatam | yuvayorvāksudhāsvāda medurodaramaṃtharam

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ കേൾക്കുവാൻ എന്റെ മനസ്സ് പൂർണ്ണമായി ശ്രവണത്തിലേക്ക് തിരിഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു. നിങ്ങളുടെ വാക്കുകളുടെ അമൃതസമമായ രുചി മന്ദഗതിയുള്ള ഭാരമുള്ള മനസ്സിനെയും ഇളക്കി ചലിപ്പിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-समाप्त्यर्थक/उद्धरणसूचक

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive); श्रवणार्थे

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष-प्रत्ययार्थ

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्रुतिगोचरताम्: the state of being within hearing
• श्रुतिगोचरताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति + गोचरता (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (श्रुतेः गोचरता = hearing-range)

• गतम्: gone; having reached
• गतम्: Kriya (Predicative participle/क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्यय; मनः इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• युवयोः: of you two
• युवयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, द्विवचन (Dual)

• वाक्सुधास्वाद: the nectar-taste of (your) speech
• वाक्सुधास्वाद: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक् + सुधा + स्वाद (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वाचः सुधायाः स्वादः)

• मेदुर: plump; full
• मेदुर: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेदुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (स्थूल/पुष्ट)

• उदर: belly
• उदर: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासाङ्ग (अन्तर्भूत)

• मन्थरम्: slow; gentle
• मन्थरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्थर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्सुधास्वाद इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Śivaśarman (addressing the two Gaṇas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Gaṇas (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A listener’s inner transformation is depicted: Śivaśarman’s mind, previously heavy and slow, becomes animated as he tastes the nectar of the Gaṇas’ speech; subtle imagery of a lotus opening or a lamp brightening accompanies the dialogue.

Characters & Entities

• Śivaśarman
• Gaṇas (implicit: 'you two')

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śravaṇa—devout listening to sacred discourse—awakens the mind and becomes a means of inner transformation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None directly; the verse supports the Kāśī-khaṇḍa teaching style through dialogue and attentive listening.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No external ritual; the implied practice is śravaṇa (listening) to dharma-kathā.