Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

यदाऽनंदवने शंभोः प्रतिजानासि वै वचः

Transliteration

yadā'naṃdavane śaṃbhoḥ pratijānāsi vai vacaḥ

Translation

ശംഭുവിന്റെ (ശിവന്റെ) ആനന്ദവനത്തിൽ നീ സത്യമായി നിന്റെ വാക്ക് പ്രതിജ്ഞയായി പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കുന്നപ്പോൾ…

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (relative adverb: when)

• आनन्दवने: in the forest of bliss (Ānandavana)
• आनन्दवने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; आनन्दस्य वनम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• प्रतिजानासि: you promise / you declare
• प्रतिजानासि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + √ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• वचः: word/speech
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśī-khaṇḍa dialogue framework)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandavana (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous grove by the Gaṅgā with bilva and aśvattha trees; Śiva’s presence is felt—perhaps a subtle liṅga shrine—while Vyāsa prepares to utter a solemn declaration, disciples gathered in reverent silence.

Characters & Entities

• Ānandavana
• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred space intensifies spiritual commitment—vows made in Śiva’s holy domain carry heightened gravity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ānandavana, a celebrated name for Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), revered as Śiva’s own sacred grove.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse highlights making a solemn declaration (pratijñā) in Ānandavana; ritual details appear in subsequent verses.