Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

अग्निबिंदुरुवाच । ॐ नमः पुंडरीकाक्ष बाह्यांतः शौचदायिने । सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात्

Transliteration

agnibiṃduruvāca | oṃ namaḥ puṃḍarīkākṣa bāhyāṃtaḥ śaucadāyine | sahasraśīrṣā puruṣaḥ sahasrākṣaḥ sahasrapāt

Translation

ଅଗ୍ନିବିନ୍ଦୁ କହିଲେ—ॐ, ହେ ପୁଣ୍ଡରୀକାକ୍ଷ! ଆପଣଙ୍କୁ ନମସ୍କାର; ଆପଣ ବାହ୍ୟ ଓ ଅନ୍ତଃକରଣର ଶୁଚିତା ଦାନ କରନ୍ତି। ଆପଣ ହିଁ ସହସ୍ରଶୀର୍ଷ ପୁରୁଷ, ସହସ୍ରାକ୍ଷ, ସହସ୍ରପାତ।

Word by Word

• agnibiṃduḥ: Agnibindu
• agnibiṃduḥ: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agnibiṃdu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• oṃ: Om
• oṃ: Sambandha (Invocation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: oṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: मङ्गल/प्रणव-अव्यय (sacred syllable)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभूत)
• Form: नमस्कारार्थक-अव्यय; दत्तिवत् प्रयोगे चतुर्थी-संबन्धः (to/for)

• puṃḍarīka-akṣa: O lotus-eyed one
• puṃḍarīka-akṣa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṃḍarīka + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (पुण्डरीक-सदृशम् अक्षि यस्य)

• bāhya-antaḥ: outside and inside
• bāhya-antaḥ: Adverbial (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bāhya + antaḥ (अव्यय-समास)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासेन निर्मितम् अव्ययम्; अर्थः—'बाह्यं च अन्तः च' (externally and internally)

• śauca-dāyine: to the giver of purity
• śauca-dāyine: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śauca + dāyin (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शौचं ददाति इति)

• sahasra-śīrṣā: thousand-headed
• sahasra-śīrṣā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra + śīrṣan (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिवत् विशेषण-प्रयोगः/तत्पुरुषः (सहस्रं शीर्षाणि यस्य)

• puruṣaḥ: the Person (Puruṣa)
• puruṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• sahasra-akṣaḥ: thousand-eyed
• sahasra-akṣaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सहस्रम् अक्षीणि यस्य)

• sahasra-pāt: thousand-footed
• sahasra-pāt: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra + pād (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सहस्रं पादाः यस्य)

Speaker

Agnibiṃdu

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pañcanadā (contextual)

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Hṛṣīkeśa/Govinda (addressed deity); Sūta relays to the ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Agnibiṃdu recites with raised voice and steady posture; Govinda appears as Pundarīkākṣa with lotus eyes, while a subtle overlay of the cosmic form (many heads/eyes/feet) radiates behind the icon.

Characters & Entities

• Agnibiṃdu
• Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Viṣṇu)
• Puruṣa (cosmic form)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord purifies both outer conduct and inner intention; meditation on His cosmic form elevates the devotee’s vision.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The hymn is offered in the Kāśī setting, near Pañcanadā, within Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa-like salutation begins with Oṁ and namaḥ; the verse models a devotional invocation.