Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

अभीष्टं च वरं मत्तः प्रार्थयस्वाविचारितम् । इत्युक्तवत्यपि मयि स्वप्नो मिथ्येति सोब्रवीत्

Transliteration

abhīṣṭaṃ ca varaṃ mattaḥ prārthayasvāvicāritam | ityuktavatyapi mayi svapno mithyeti sobravīt

Translation

ମୁଁ ‘ମୋଠାରୁ ତୋର ଅଭୀଷ୍ଟ ବର ନିର୍ବିଚାରେ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା କର’ ବୋଲି କହିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ, ସେ କହିଲା— ‘ଏହା ସ୍ୱପ୍ନ; ଏହା ମିଥ୍ୟା।’

Word by Word

• abhīṣṭam: desired (boon)
• abhīṣṭam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhīṣṭa (कृदन्त; √iṣ (धातु) + अभि + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त: 'desired (thing)'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/conjunction)

• varam: boon
• varam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• mattaḥ: from me
• mattaḥ: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; अस्मद्-शब्द

• prārthayasva: ask/request
• prārthayasva: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + √arth (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• avicāritam: without hesitation
• avicāritam: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vicārita (कृदन्त; vi + √car (धातु) + क्त, with negation a-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषण (to 'abhīṣṭam/varam'): 'unhesitating/unconsidered'

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण-समाप्ति/quotative)

• uktavati: when (she) had said
• uktavati: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ukta (कृदन्त; √vac (धातु) + क्त) + vat (स्त्री-प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त (fem. loc.): 'when (she) had said' (locative absolute)

• api: even though
• api: Sambandha (Concessive/अपि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle): 'even/though'

• mayi: to/at me
• mayi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अस्मद्-शब्द

• svapnaḥ: dream
• svapnaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svapna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• mithyā: false
• mithyā: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mithyā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb): 'falsely/false'

• iti: (saying)
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण-समाप्ति/quotative)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Caṇḍikā (Devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (as revealed)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī offers a boon with open palm; Vasiṣṭha, hands folded, gently bows and turns slightly away, expression calm and discerning; the scene has a dreamlike haze—soft edges, mist, and a faint boundary between worlds.

Characters & Entities

• Caṇḍikā (Devī)
• Vasiṣṭha (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even after divine assurance, doubt can arise; faith is required to recognize grace as real and operative.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting remains Kāśī, in the unfolding Mahatmya of Kedāra-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse centers on the psychology of doubt versus trust during divine encounter.