Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

प्रमथैः सेव्यमानोऽयं त्रिलोकीं विचरन्हरः । कापालिको ययौ देवो नारायणनिकेतनम्

Transliteration

pramathaiḥ sevyamāno'yaṃ trilokīṃ vicaranharaḥ | kāpāliko yayau devo nārāyaṇaniketanam

Translation

പ്രമഥന്മാർ സേവിച്ചു ബഹുമാനിച്ച ഹരൻ, കാപാലികവേഷത്തിൽ ത്രിലോകം സഞ്ചരിച്ച്, ദേവൻ നാരായണന്റെ നികേതനത്തിലേക്ക് പോയി।

Word by Word

• प्रमथैः: by the Pramathas (Śiva’s attendants)
• प्रमथैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• सेव्यमानः: being served
• सेव्यमानः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (Present passive participle/शानच्-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• त्रिलोकीम्: the three worlds
• त्रिलोकीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (three worlds)

• विचरन्: wandering
• विचरन्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+चर् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कापालिकः: the skull-bearing ascetic (Kāpālika)
• कापालिकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नारायणनिकेतनम्: Nārāyaṇa’s abode
• नारायणनिकेतनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण + निकेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (abode of Nārāyaṇa)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nārāyaṇa-niketana (Vaikuṇṭha/Viṣṇu-dhāma motif)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva as a Kāpālika ascetic—matted hair, ash-smeared body, skull-bowl—walks with a tumultuous yet reverent Pramatha retinue toward a radiant Vaikuṇṭha-like gateway bearing Viṣṇu emblems.

Characters & Entities

• Hara (Śiva)
• Pramathas
• Nārāyaṇa (Viṣṇu)
• Nārāyaṇa-niketana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Supreme moves freely in diverse forms; sectarian boundaries dissolve when Śiva approaches Nārāyaṇa’s abode in divine purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate setting shifts to Nārāyaṇa’s divine dwelling; within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa arc, the larger glorification remains Kāśī and its protecting divinities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is narrative, describing Śiva’s movement and form.