Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

एकदा तस्य जिज्ञासां कर्तुं देवीं हरोवदत् । अद्य भिक्षाटनं प्राप्ते व्यासे परमधार्मिके

Transliteration

ekadā tasya jijñāsāṃ kartuṃ devīṃ harovadat | adya bhikṣāṭanaṃ prāpte vyāse paramadhārmike

Translation

ഒരിക്കൽ അവനെ പരീക്ഷിക്കുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിച്ചു ഹരൻ ദേവിയോട് പറഞ്ഞു—“ഇന്ന് പരമധാർമ്മികനായ വ്യാസൻ ഭിക്ഷയ്ക്കായി വരുമ്പോൾ…।”

Word by Word

• एकदा: once
• एकदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकदा (अव्यय; एक + दा)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (once)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of him)

• जिज्ञासाम्: inquiry, desire to know
• जिज्ञासाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिज्ञासा (प्रातिपदिक; desiderative noun from √ज्ञा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + तुमुन्
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); क्रियार्थक (to do)

• देवीम्: the Goddess (Pārvatī)
• देवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अवदत्: said
• अवदत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (today/now)

• भिक्षाटनम्: going for alms, alms-round
• भिक्षाटनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षाटन (प्रातिपदिक; भिक्षा + अटन < √अट् (धातु) + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• प्राप्ते: when (he) had arrived
• प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √प्र-आप् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• व्यासे: in/when Vyāsa (was present)
• व्यासे: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी-आश्रय

• परमधार्मिके: in the supremely righteous (Vyāsa)
• परमधार्मिके: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-धार्मिक (प्रातिपदिक; परम; धार्मिक < धर्म + इक (तद्धित))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; ‘व्यासे’ इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator voice within Skanda’s discourse (deduced); direct speech: Śiva (Hara) to Devī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Purāṇic audience (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Within a Kāśī shrine-courtyard, Śiva (Hara) turns to Pārvatī (Devī) with a purposeful, gentle seriousness, indicating a forthcoming test of Vyāsa’s alms-round; the city’s ghats glow in the distance.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Hara)
• Devī (Bhavānī)
• Vyāsa
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the most righteous may be tested; divine līlā reveals and deepens steadfastness in dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, as the stage for Śiva’s intimate līlā with saints and devotees.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bhikṣāṭana (the mendicant’s alms-round) is the implied daily practice.