Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 240

Devanagari script

प्रणम्य दूरादपिच संप्रहृष्टतनूरुहः । अभ्युत्थातुं मनश्चक्रे शंखचक्रगदाधरः

Transliteration

praṇamya dūrādapica saṃprahṛṣṭatanūruhaḥ | abhyutthātuṃ manaścakre śaṃkhacakragadādharaḥ

Translation

ଦୂରରୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ପ୍ରଣାମ କରି, ହର୍ଷରେ ରୋମାଞ୍ଚିତ ଦେହବାନ ଶଙ୍ଖ-ଚକ୍ର-ଗଦାଧାରୀ, ସ୍ୱାଗତରେ ଉଠିବାକୁ ମନେ ସଙ୍କଳ୍ପ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-रूप (absolutive/क्त्वान्तार्थ), ‘having bowed’

• दूरात्: from a distance
• दूरात्: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्ययीभूत (ablatival adverb): ‘from afar’

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: ‘also/even’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction: ‘and’)

• संप्रहृष्टतनूरुहः: with hairs standing on end (thrilled)
• संप्रहृष्टतनूरुहः: Visheshaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं-प्र-हृष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) + तनू-रुह (प्रातिपदिक; तनू + रुह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘यस्य तनूरुहाः संप्रहृष्टाः’ (whose body-hairs are thrilled)

• अभ्युत्थातुम्: to rise up
• अभ्युत्थातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-उत्-स्था (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to rise/stand up’

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म) एकवचन (कर्मवत् प्रयोगः)

• चक्रे: made/did
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शंखचक्रगदाधरः: the bearer of conch, discus, and mace
• शंखचक्रगदाधरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख-चक्र-गदा-धर (प्रातिपदिक; शंख + चक्र + गदा + धर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (शंखं चक्रं गदां च धरति)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced narrator-voice within Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee or divine attendant holding conch, discus, and mace bows from a distance; hair standing on end; then rises with folded hands to welcome an approaching revered figure, with Kāśī’s temple spires or ghat steps behind.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkha
• Cakra
• Gadā
• Nārāyaṇa/Viṣṇu form (implied by attributes)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion is marked by reverence even at a distance and by inner transformation—joy, humility, and readiness to honor the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a devotional narrative moment within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (bowing) and respectful reception (abhyutthāna—rising to greet), presented as devotional etiquette.