Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

सापि ज्ञात्वा महावीर्यं कुमारं कुक्षिसंभवम् । महत्योत्साहसं पत्त्या राजमानमुवाच तम्

Transliteration

sāpi jñātvā mahāvīryaṃ kumāraṃ kukṣisaṃbhavam | mahatyotsāhasaṃ pattyā rājamānamuvāca tam

Translation

അവളും, തന്റെ ഗർഭത്തിൽ നിന്നു ജനിച്ച ആ കുമാരന്റെ മഹാവീര്യം അറിഞ്ഞ്, മഹത്തായ ഉത്സാഹത്തിൽ ദീപ്തനായ അവനോടു സംസാരിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Connector/Emphasis (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-भावार्थक अव्यय (also)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञात्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• महावीर्यम्: great prowess
• महावीर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महद् वीर्यम्)

• कुमारम्: the boy/prince (Kumāra)
• कुमारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुक्षिसंभवम्: born from (her) womb
• कुक्षिसंभवम्: Visheshana of कुमारम् (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुक्षि + संभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुक्षेः संभवः)

• महति: in great (measure)
• महति: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; (अत्र) ‘महति’ = महति (उत्साहे)

• उत्साहसम्: enthusiasm, zeal
• उत्साहसम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्साह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी/द्वितीया-सम्भाव्य; पाठानुसार ‘महत्योत्साहसं’ इति—सप्तमी एकवचन (उत्साहे) अभिप्रेत

• पत्त्या: by/with (her) husband
• पत्त्या: Karana/Agent-associate (सहकर्ता/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• राजमानम्: shining, resplendent
• राजमानम्: Visheshana of कुमारम् (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज् (धातु) → राजमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्यय (present participle, Ātmanepada), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तम्: to him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Narrator (within Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame; traditionally Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A questioning sage/audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mother observes her son’s extraordinary valor and radiant enthusiasm; she prepares to speak—her face mixes pride, worry, and tenderness.

Characters & Entities

• Sunīti
• Dhruva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True courage rooted in purpose is recognizable and inspires guidance from elders.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it remains within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s broader sacred setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse narrates Sunīti’s recognition and her readiness to respond.