Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तं मे समाकर्ण्य वरयामास मामिति । शिष्यो हिरण्यगर्भस्य तपस्विजनसत्तमः

Transliteration

ityuktaṃ me samākarṇya varayāmāsa māmiti | śiṣyo hiraṇyagarbhasya tapasvijanasattamaḥ

Translation

ഞാൻ പറഞ്ഞതു കേട്ട്, തപസ്വികളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ ഹിരണ്യഗർഭന്റെ ശിഷ്യൻ, അതനുസരിച്ച് എന്നോടു വരം അപേക്ഷിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-सूचक-अव्यय; quotative particle

• उक्तम्: said
• उक्तम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; enclitic ‘me’ = to me/of me (here: to me)

• समाकर्ण्य: having heard
• समाकर्ण्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-कर्ण् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (absolutive); ‘having heard’

• वरयामास: requested/asked for (a boon)
• वरयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वरय्/वृ (धातु; causative sense)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; periphrastic perfect ‘began to choose/asked for’

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-सूचक-अव्यय; quotative particle

• शिष्यः: disciple
• शिष्यः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular

• हिरण्यगर्भस्य: of Hiraṇyagarbha
• हिरण्यगर्भस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यगर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (हिरण्यं गर्भः यस्य/हिरण्यस्य गर्भः) as proper name; genitive singular

• तपस्विजनसत्तमः: the best among ascetic people
• तपस्विजनसत्तमः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (तपस्विनां जनानां सत्तमः = best among ascetic people); nominative singular

Speaker

Caṇḍikā (Devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: the tapasvī, disciple of Hiraṇyagarbha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A venerable ascetic, introduced by his illustrious lineage as Hiraṇyagarbha’s disciple, stands or kneels before the Lord, poised to articulate a boon after attentive listening.

Characters & Entities

• Caṇḍikā (Devī)
• Hiraṇyagarbha
• Vasiṣṭha (implied as the ascetic/disciple in this narrative)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True ascetics, grounded in lineage and tapas, respond to divine grace by seeking boons aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s Kedāra-kṣetra narrative frame continues; the boon request pertains to the sanctified community around the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it narrates the transition from divine approval to boon selection.