Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

भीष्मकेशवनामाहं वृद्धकालेशपश्चिमे । उपसर्गान्हरे भीष्मान्सेवितो भक्तियुक्तितः

Transliteration

bhīṣmakeśavanāmāhaṃ vṛddhakāleśapaścime | upasargānhare bhīṣmānsevito bhaktiyuktitaḥ

Translation

വൃദ്ധകാലേശത്തിന്റെ പടിഞ്ഞാറ് ഭാഗത്ത് എന്റെ നാമം ഭീഷ്മകേശവൻ; ഭക്തിയുക്തമായ നിയോഗത്തോടെ സേവിച്ചാൽ ഭയങ്കര ഉപസർഗങ്ങളും വിപത്തുകളും ഞാൻ അകറ്റുന്നു।

Word by Word

• bhīṣmakeśavanāmā: the name ‘Bhīṣma-Keśava’
• bhīṣmakeśavanāmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhīṣma + keśava + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (bhīṣmakeśavasya nāma)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• vṛddhakāleśapaścime: in the western (part) of Vṛddhakāleśa
• vṛddhakāleśapaścime: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛddha + kāla + īśa + paścima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (vṛddhakāleśasya paścimaḥ (deśaḥ) = ‘in the western part of Vṛddhakāleśa’)

• upasargān: afflictions / ailments
• upasargān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upasarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• hare: I remove
• hare: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bhīṣmān: terrible
• bhīṣmān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīṣma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; upasargān इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• sevitaḥ: (when) worshipped/served
• sevitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sev (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘(mayā) sevitaḥ’ इति भावः

• bhaktiyuktitaḥ: through devotion (and proper practice)
• bhaktiyuktitaḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhakti + yukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘-तः’; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (bhaktyā yuktitaḥ = ‘by/through devotion and proper method’)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśī Khaṇḍa dialogues)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhīṣma-Keśava (near Vṛddha-Kāleśa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience within Kāśīkhaṇḍa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A shrine near an aged Kāla/Śiva presence (Vṛddha-Kāleśa) with Viṣṇu as Bhīṣma-Keśava granting protection; devotees offer lamps seeking relief from epidemics, fears, and misfortunes; the west is suggested by warm sunset light.

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma-Keśava
• Keśava
• Vṛddha-Kāleśa
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional observance at a specific sacred locus in Kāśī is praised as a shield against severe life-afflictions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The locale of Bhīṣma-Keśava, situated west of Vṛddha-Kāleśa in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sevā (worship/service) performed with bhakti-yukti—devotional discipline and proper application.