Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

रावणारे नमस्तुभ्यं विभीषणशरण्यद । अजाय जयरूपाय रणांगणविचक्षण

Transliteration

rāvaṇāre namastubhyaṃ vibhīṣaṇaśaraṇyada | ajāya jayarūpāya raṇāṃgaṇavicakṣaṇa

Translation

ராவணனின் பகைவனே, விபீஷணனுக்கு அடைக்கலமளிப்பவனே, உனக்கு நமஸ்காரம். அஜனே, ஜயஸ்வரூபனே, போர்க்களத்தில் நுண்ணறிவாளனே, உனக்கு வணக்கம்.

Word by Word

• रावणारे: O enemy of Rāvaṇa
• रावणारे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण + अरि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रावणस्य अरिः)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• विभीषणशरण्यद: O giver of refuge to Vibhīṣaṇa
• विभीषणशरण्यद: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभीषण + शरण्य + द (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विभीषणस्य शरण्यः दाता/आश्रयदाता)

• अजाय: to the unborn one
• अजाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• जयरूपाय: to the embodiment of victory
• जयरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय + रूप (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-समासान्त-प्रातिपदिक; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जयस्य रूपम्)

• रणाङ्गणविचक्षण: O expert in the battlefield
• रणाङ्गणविचक्षण: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण + अङ्गण + विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रणाङ्गणे विचक्षणः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-kṣetra (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma stands poised as the conqueror of Rāvaṇa, yet with open palm of refuge toward Vibhīṣaṇa; the battlefield is suggested, but the focus is on discernment and protective grace.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa
• Vibhīṣaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge) is upheld as dharma; the Lord protects the surrendered and establishes victory for righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse is a Rāma-stuti; the broader glorification belongs to Kāśī as the narrative setting of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the implied practice is stuti and remembrance of Rāma’s dharmic deeds.