Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

परात्पराय पाराय परापरपराय च । नमोऽपारचरित्राय सुपवित्रकथाय च

Transliteration

parātparāya pārāya parāparaparāya ca | namo'pāracaritrāya supavitrakathāya ca

Translation

പരാത്പരനായ, പരമാശ്രയവും പരമതീരവും ആയ പ്രഭുവിന് നമസ്കാരം. അപാരചരിത്രമുള്ളവനും അത്യന്തം ശുദ്ധികരമായ കഥയുള്ളവനും ആയ അവനു നമസ്കാരം.

Word by Word

• परात्पराय: to the one beyond the beyond
• परात्पराय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परात् (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः—अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुषसदृशः (परात् परः)

• पाराय: to the far shore/ultimate refuge
• पाराय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे), चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• परापरपराय: to the supreme beyond both higher and lower
• परापरपराय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक) + अपर (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (परस्य अपरः) + तत्पुरुषः (परापरयोः परः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• अपारचरित्राय: to (him of) boundless deeds/character
• अपारचरित्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपार (प्रातिपदिक) + चरित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (चरित्र-शब्दः नपुंसकः), चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (अपारं चरित्रं यस्य/अपारं चरित्रम्)

• सुपवित्रकथाय: to the very-pure sacred narrative
• सुपवित्रकथाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (सुपवित्रा कथा)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims/sages within the narrative frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic Śiva beyond measure, with the Gaṅgā flowing from his matted hair into Kāśī; sages listen to a sacred कथा, the words depicted as luminous waves washing away darkness.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is the transcendent Supreme, and remembrance/hearing of His kathā is itself a purifier.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred setting; the hymn style supports Kāśī’s role as a mokṣa-kṣetra centered on Śiva.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit śravaṇa/kīrtana: engaging with Śiva-kathā (hearing/reciting sacred narratives) as a purificatory act.