Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

स्तुतो मंगलसूक्तैश्च प्रणतश्च पुनःपुनः । तेभ्यो दत्ताभयः शंभुः पप्रच्छ कुशलं मुदा

Transliteration

stuto maṃgalasūktaiśca praṇataśca punaḥpunaḥ | tebhyo dattābhayaḥ śaṃbhuḥ papraccha kuśalaṃ mudā

Translation

ମଙ୍ଗଳସୂକ୍ତରେ ସ୍ତୁତ ହୋଇ ଏବଂ ପୁନଃପୁନଃ ପ୍ରଣାମ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରି, ଶମ୍ଭୁ ସେମାନଙ୍କୁ ଅଭୟ ଦେଲେ; ପରେ ଆନନ୍ଦରେ କୁଶଳ ପଚାରିଲେ।

Word by Word

• stutaḥ: praised
• stutaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √stu (धातु)
• Form: भूतकालिक कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे (praised)

• maṃgala-sūktaiḥ: with auspicious hymns
• maṃgala-sūktaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṃgala (प्रातिपदिक) + sūkta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (sūkta), तृतीया (Case 3/करण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषभावः (maṃgalāni sūktāni)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• praṇataḥ: bowed (prostrated)
• praṇataḥ: Karta (Subject-state/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु)
• Form: भूतकालिक कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'bowed down'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• punaḥ-punaḥ: again and again
• punaḥ-punaḥ: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्त-अव्यय (adverb: repeatedly)

• tebhyaḥ: to them
• tebhyaḥ: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Case 4/सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• datta-abhayaḥ: who had granted fearlessness
• datta-abhayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: datta (√dā, धातु; क्त) + abhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (abhayaṃ dattaṃ yena)

• śaṃbhuḥ: Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Case 1), एकवचन

• papraccha: asked
• papraccha: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√prach (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• kuśalam: welfare; well-being
• kuśalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Case 2), एकवचन

• mudā: with joy
• mudā: Hetu/Instrument (Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mudā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Case 3/करण), एकवचन; भाववाचक

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; narration of Śiva’s response)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Śambhu-sannidhi)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śambhu, serene and radiant, raises a hand in abhaya-mudrā while brāhmaṇas bow repeatedly, singing maṅgala-sūktas; the atmosphere is calm yet charged with divine presence.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Maṅgala-sūkta
• Abhaya (fearlessness)
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True divinity responds to sincere praise with protection (abhaya) and compassionate concern for devotees’ well-being.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī as the place of intimate darśana where Śiva directly engages and blesses pilgrims.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Stuti (auspicious hymns) and repeated praṇāma (prostration/salutation) as modes of worship.