Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

स्तुतिकर्तुं न जानामि स्तुतिप्रिय महेश्वर । तव पादांबुजद्वंद्वे निर्द्वंद्वा भक्तिरस्तु मे

Transliteration

stutikartuṃ na jānāmi stutipriya maheśvara | tava pādāṃbujadvaṃdve nirdvaṃdvā bhaktirastu me

Translation

ഹേ സ്തുതിപ്രിയ മഹേശ്വരാ, യഥോചിതമായ സ്തുതി ചെയ്യാൻ എനിക്കറിയില്ല; എങ്കിലും നിന്റെ പദ്മപാദയുഗളത്തിൽ എന്റെ നിർദ്വന്ദ്വമായ, അചഞ്ചലമായ ഭക്തി നിലനില്ക്കട്ടെ।

Word by Word

• स्तुतिकर्तुम्: to praise
• स्तुतिकर्तुम्: Kriya-artha (Purpose infinitive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृत्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); ‘स्तुतिं कर्तुम्’ इत्यर्थे — Infinitive ‘to do/praise’ (object ‘स्तुति’ implied/compounded)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय — Negation particle

• जानामि: I know
• जानामि: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — Present 1st sg: ‘I know’

• स्तुतिप्रिय: O lover of praise
• स्तुतिप्रिय: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तुति + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्तुतेः प्रियः) — Vocative singular masculine

• महेश्वर: O great lord
• महेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग — Vocative singular masculine

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन — Genitive singular ‘of you/your’

• पादाम्बुजद्वन्द्वे: in the pair of lotus-feet
• पादाम्बुजद्वन्द्वे: Adhikarana (Location/Reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद + अम्बुज + द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पादाम्बुजानां द्वन्द्वे) — Locative singular neuter

• निर्द्वन्द्वा: free from dualities
• निर्द्वन्द्वा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; अव्ययीभावः (निर्द्वन्द्वम् इति) — Nominative singular feminine qualifying ‘भक्तिः’

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग — Nominative singular feminine

• अस्तु: may there be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — ‘may it be’

• मे: for me / my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध) एकवचन (एन्क्लिटिक ‘मे’); सर्वनाम — Genitive singular ‘my/for me’

Speaker

Budha (continuing stuti)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee bows at Śiva’s lotus feet, hands folded, eyes lowered; the emphasis is on the feet (pādāmbuja-dvandva) radiating calm, while the devotee’s face shows humble sincerity rather than triumph.

Characters & Entities

• Budha
• Maheśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even without eloquence, sincere humility and steady devotion at Śiva’s feet are the highest offering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is implied; the verse supports the Kāśī ideal of single-pointed devotion to Viśvanātha/Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The inner discipline is prescribed: nirdvandvā bhakti—devotion free from agitation and duality.