Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

प्रसूताखिलभूतलसंवरणप्रणवध्वनिसौधसुधांशुधर । वरराजकुमारिकया परया परितः परितुष्ट नतोस्मि शिव

Transliteration

prasūtākhilabhūtalasaṃvaraṇapraṇavadhvanisaudhasudhāṃśudhara | vararājakumārikayā parayā paritaḥ parituṣṭa natosmi śiva

Translation

ഹേ ശിവാ! നീ സർവ്വലോകങ്ങളെ പ്രസവിച്ച് അവയെ ആവരണം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ; നീ ചന്ദ്രധരൻ, നിന്റെ ധാമം പ്രണവ ‘ഓം’ നാദത്തിൽ മുഴങ്ങുന്നു. പരമ രാജകുമാരിക (ദേവി)യാൽ എല്ലാടവും പരിതുഷ്ടനായി—നിനക്കു ഞാൻ നമസ്കരിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• प्रसूत-अखिल-भूतल-संवरण-प्रणव-ध्वनि-सौध-सुधांशु-धर: O bearer of the moon, whose (crescent) is like a mansion of the praṇava-sound, covering the whole earth, newly arisen
• प्रसूत-अखिल-भूतल-संवरण-प्रणव-ध्वनि-सौध-सुधांशु-धर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसूत (सू धातु, क्त/कृदन्त) + अखिल (प्रातिपदिक) + भूतल (प्रातिपदिक) + संवरण (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सौध (प्रातिपदिक) + सुधांशु (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘यः … धरः’ (epithet)

• वर-राज-कुमारिकया: by the excellent princess (Pārvatī)
• वर-राज-कुमारिकया: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + राज (प्रातिपदिक) + कुमारिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/तृतीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘वरस्य राज्ञः कुमारिका’

• परया: supreme, exalted
• परया: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/तृतीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to कुमारिकया)

• परितः: all around / completely
• परितः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परितः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपसर्गार्थ-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• परितुष्ट: O fully satisfied one
• परितुष्ट: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि+तुष् (धातु) → परितुष्ट (क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, विशेषणम् (to शिव)

• नतः: bowed
• नतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नत (नम् धातु, क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, ‘bowed’

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शिव: O Śiva
• शिव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Aṅgiras

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim-seekers within Kāśī-māhātmya frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva as Soma-dhārin (crescent moon) in a sanctum whose very walls vibrate with Oṃ; Devī as the supreme princess stands beside, delighting Śiva; devotee bows with folded hands.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Praṇava (Oṃ)
• Moon (candra)
• Pārvatī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is the cosmic source and container, approached through Praṇava and reverent bowing, in harmony with the Goddess.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred setting where Praṇava-centered Śaiva worship culminates in Viśveśvara’s grace.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; Praṇava (Oṃ) is invoked as a sonic mark of worship and contemplation.