Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

एतत्कथय मे प्राज्ञ सर्वज्ञानंदवर्धन । श्रुत्वागस्त्युदितं वाक्यं तारकारिरुवाच ह

Transliteration

etatkathaya me prājña sarvajñānaṃdavardhana | śrutvāgastyuditaṃ vākyaṃ tārakāriruvāca ha

Translation

“ഇത് എനിക്ക് പറഞ്ഞുതരുക, ഹേ പ്രാജ്ഞാ, സർവ്വജ്ഞാനാനന്ദവർദ്ധനാ.” അഗസ്ത്യന്റെ വാക്കുകൾ കേട്ടപ്പോൾ താരകാരി (സ്കന്ദൻ) അപ്പോൾ അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कथय: tell
• कथय: Kriya (Injunction/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Gen./Dat.), एकवचन (Singular); अत्र चतुर्थी (to me)

• प्राज्ञ: O wise one
• प्राज्ञ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वज्ञानन्दवर्धन: O increaser of the joy of the omniscient (one)
• सर्वज्ञानन्दवर्धन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वज्ञ-आनन्द-वर्धन (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वज्ञ + आनन्द + वर्धन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• अगस्त्युदितम्: uttered by Agastya
• अगस्त्युदितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अगस्त्य-उदित (प्रातिपदिक; अगस्त्य + उदित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying वाक्यम्)

• वाक्यम्: the statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तारकारिः: the slayer of Tāraka (Skanda)
• तारकारिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक-अरि (प्रातिपदिक; तारक + अरि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed
• ह: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: पादपूरण/निपात (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Narrator (within Skanda–Agastya dialogue); lead-in to Skanda’s reply

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Agastya praises Skanda as wise and as an increaser of knowledge and bliss; Skanda, the slayer of Tāraka, begins his reply—transition from question to authoritative exposition.

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• Skanda (Tārakāri)
• Tāraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverent request and qualified instruction are central to Purāṇic transmission: wisdom is conveyed through dialogue that deepens knowledge and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-focused tradition, but this verse functions as a conversational bridge rather than tīrtha praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual prescription is stated.