Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

यायजूकाय यज्ञाय यज्ञानां फलदायिने । रुद्राय रुद्रपतये कद्रुद्राय रमाय च

Transliteration

yāyajūkāya yajñāya yajñānāṃ phaladāyine | rudrāya rudrapataye kadrudrāya ramāya ca

Translation

യജ്ഞങ്ങളുടെ മഹായാജകനേയും, സ്വയം യജ്ഞസ്വരൂപനേയും, എല്ലാ യജ്ഞഫലദായകനേയും നമസ്കരിക്കുന്നു. രുദ്രനേയും, രുദ്രപതിയേയും, പ്രചണ്ഡരുദ്രനേയും, രമണ-ആനന്ദസ്വരൂപനേയും നമഃ.

Word by Word

• यायजूकाय: to the sacrificer/priest
• यायजूकाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यायजूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• यज्ञाय: to the sacrifice
• यज्ञाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• यज्ञानाम्: of sacrifices
• यज्ञानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• फलदायिने: to the giver of fruits (results)
• फलदायिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल-दायिन् (प्रातिपदिक); फल (प्रातिपदिक) + दायिन् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; (समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: फलस्य दायिन्)

• रुद्राय: to Rudra
• रुद्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• रुद्रपतये: to the lord of the Rudras
• रुद्रपतये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र-पति (प्रातिपदिक); रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; (समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: रुद्राणां पतिः)

• कद्रुद्राय: to Kadrudra (a name/epithet)
• कद्रुद्राय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कद्रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• रमाय: to Ramā (Lakṣmī)
• रमाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

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

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī / Viśveśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee in Kāśī offers oblations before a Śiva-liṅga; behind, a subtle cosmic yajña-fire merges into Śiva’s form—Rudra as both sacrificer and sacrifice, serene yet formidable.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Rudra
• Rudras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All ritual efficacy ultimately depends on Śiva; He is both the inner yajña and the giver of its fruits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the textual frame; the verse aligns Kāśī-dharma with Śiva-centered worship beyond mere external ritual.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajña is referenced doctrinally; the implied practice is offering and worship with recognition of Śiva as the fruit-giver.