Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

स्वस्त्यभ्युदितपाणिश्च रुद्रसूक्तैरमंत्रयत् । अक्षतान्यथ सार्द्राणि दर्शयन्सफलान्यजः

Transliteration

svastyabhyuditapāṇiśca rudrasūktairamaṃtrayat | akṣatānyatha sārdrāṇi darśayansaphalānyajaḥ

Translation

അവൻ അനുഗ്രഹാർത്ഥം കൈ ഉയർത്തി രുദ്രസൂക്തങ്ങളാൽ മംഗളം ആഹ്വാനിച്ചു; തുടർന്ന് അജൻ (അജന്മൻ) ഈർപ്പമുള്ള അക്ഷതങ്ങളും ഫലസമൃദ്ധമായ നൈവേദ്യങ്ങളും കാണിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• स्वस्ति: hail, well-being
• स्वस्ति: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वस्ति (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: मङ्गलवाचक अव्यय (benedictive particle)

• अभ्युदितपाणिः: with raised hand
• अभ्युदितपाणिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-उद्-इ (धातु) + क्त ‘अभ्युदित’ + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य पाणिः अभ्युदितः) ‘whose hand is raised (in blessing)’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• रुद्रसूक्तैः: with Rudra hymns
• रुद्रसूक्तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + सूक्त (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रुद्रस्य सूक्तानि) ‘Rudra-hymns’; Instrumental plural

• अमन्त्रयत्: recited/invoked
• अमन्त्रयत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्त्रय् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘he invoked/recited’

• अक्षतानि: unbroken grains (rice)
• अक्षतानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रमबोधक (then)

• सार्द्राणि: moistened, damp
• सार्द्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-आर्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन; Accusative plural; adjective to अक्षतानि

• दर्शयन्: showing
• दर्शयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त; ‘showing’

• सफलानि: fruitful, auspicious
• सफलानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन; Accusative plural; adjective to अक्षतानि

• अजः: Aja (Brahmā)
• अजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; Nominative singular (Brahmā)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A deity/ṛṣi-like figure (Ajā—‘Unborn’) raises a palm in blessing while chanting Rudra-hymns; before him are moist akṣata grains and ripe fruits arranged as offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (via Rudra-sūkta)
• Akṣata (ritual item)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred speech (Rudra-hymns) and pure offerings sanctify encounters with the Divine and establish auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the broader glorified kṣetra, where mantra and offering are portrayed as naturally potent.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mantra-invocation with Rudra-sūktas and offering/display of akṣata and fruits as auspicious pūjā items.