Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11
उवाच धर्मेति प्रीतः शुकशावानिदं वचः । अयि पत्त्ररथा ब्रूत साधवो धर्मसंगताः
uvāca dharmeti prītaḥ śukaśāvānidaṃ vacaḥ | ayi pattrarathā brūta sādhavo dharmasaṃgatāḥ
പ്രീതനായി (ശിവൻ) ‘ധർമ്മം!’ എന്നു പറഞ്ഞു ശുകശാവകരോടു ഇങ്ങനെ അരുളി—“ഹേ പത്രരഥങ്ങളേ, പറയുവിൻ; ഹേ സാധുക്കളേ, ധർമ്മസംഗതരേ!”
Śiva (Śambhu/Maheśa) addressing the birds
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: The sage addressed (mune) and, within the scene, the young parrots as direct addressees
Scene: Śiva, smiling, utters ‘Dharma!’ and addresses the young parrots; the birds stand attentive, as if sages in miniature, in a sanctified Kāśī setting.
FAQs
When beings are dharma-aligned, the Lord invites their request—divine grace is responsive to righteousness.
Kāśī is the broader sacred frame; the verse centers on Śiva’s direct engagement, a hallmark of Kāśī’s māhātmya.
None; it introduces the boon-granting dialogue.