Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

प्रार्थितस्त्वं यथा लेखैः परोपकृतये मुने । द्रुहिणेन तथा रुद्रः स्वरक्षण विचक्षणः

Transliteration

prārthitastvaṃ yathā lekhaiḥ paropakṛtaye mune | druhiṇena tathā rudraḥ svarakṣaṇa vicakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

ഹേ മുനേ! പരോപകാരത്തിനായി നിന്നെ എഴുത്തുസന്ദേശങ്ങളാൽ എങ്ങനെ അപേക്ഷിച്ചുവോ, അതുപോലെ സ്വക്ഷേത്രസംരക്ഷണത്തിൽ നിപുണനായ രുദ്രനെയും ദ്രുഹിണൻ (ബ്രഹ്മാവ്) അപേക്ഷിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• प्रार्थितः: was requested
• प्रार्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; धातु: अर्थ्—‘याचने’ (प्रार्थितः = requested)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यथा: as / just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/उपमान-अव्यय

• लेखैः: by letters / written messages
• लेखैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; ‘पत्रैः/लेखैः’

• परोपकृतये: for helping others
• परोपकृतये: Sampradana (Purpose/प्रयोजन-चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + उपकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (प्रयोजन), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘परस्य उपकृतिः’

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• द्रुहिणेन: by Druhiṇa (Brahmā)
• द्रुहिणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुहिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्मणा’

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (in the same way)

• रुद्रः: Rudra (Śiva)
• रुद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्वरक्षण: (one whose concern is) self-protection
• स्वरक्षण: Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + रक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘स्वस्य रक्षणम्’ (self-protection); रुद्रस्य विशेषणवत् (appositional epithet)

• विचक्षणः: discerning / wise
• विचक्षणः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; रुद्रस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (implied protected domain)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda draws an analogy: as Agastya was requested via written messages for others’ welfare, so Brahmā petitioned Rudra. Visualize a divine ‘lekha’ (palm-leaf letter) carried by a messenger between Brahmā’s court and Rudra’s abode, with Rudra poised as vigilant protector.

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• Rudra (Śiva)
• Druhiṇa (Brahmā)
• Kāśī (implied by chapter context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even cosmic order is upheld through supplication and protection; divine narratives serve the welfare (paropakāra) of beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred setting of the chapter, though this verse chiefly sets up the Brahmā–Rudra episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse establishes narrative causality through a divine petition.