Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

गृहाण लीलाकमलमिदं पीयूषपोषणम् । अनेन तस्य गात्राणि स्पृश सद्यः सुबृंहिणा

Transliteration

gṛhāṇa līlākamalamidaṃ pīyūṣapoṣaṇam | anena tasya gātrāṇi spṛśa sadyaḥ subṛṃhiṇā

Translation

ഈ ലീലാ-പദ്മം സ്വീകരിക്കൂ; ഇത് അമൃതസമമായി പോഷിപ്പിക്കുന്നതാണ്. ഇതുകൊണ്ട് അവന്റെ അവയവങ്ങളെ സ്പർശിക്കൂ; ഉടൻ തന്നെ അവനെ പുഷ്ടനും പരിപൂർണ്ണനും ആക്കൂ.

Word by Word

• गृहाण: take, accept
• गृहाण: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• लीलाकमलम्: the play-lotus (sportive lotus)
• लीलाकमलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक) + कमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पीयूषपोषणम्: nourishing like nectar; nectar-nourishment
• पीयूषपोषणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीयूष (प्रातिपदिक) + पोषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनेन: with this; by means of this
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) (contextual), षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular)

• गात्राणि: limbs, body-parts
• गात्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्पृश: touch
• स्पृश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• सुबृंहिणा: with the well-nourishing (one/thing)
• सुबृंहिणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-बृंहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjectival)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages of Naimiṣāraṇya (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine lotus, described as nectar-nourishing, is presented as a playful instrument of grace; the instruction is intimate and purposeful—touching the ascetic’s limbs to restore vigor.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Nandī
• Divine lotus (līlākamala)
• Jaigīṣavya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity culminates not in mere hardship but in divine grace that restores and uplifts the devotee.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode belongs to the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s sacred narrative, connecting Kāśī’s holiness with Śiva’s direct bestowal of grace.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A specific act: touch the ascetic’s body with the divinely nourishing lotus to restore his strength.