Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11
नमोस्तु तुभ्यं प्रणतार्तिहंत्रे कर्त्रे समस्तस्य मनोरथानाम् । दात्रे रथानां परतारकस्य हंत्रे प्रचंडासुर तारकस्य
namostu tubhyaṃ praṇatārtihaṃtre kartre samastasya manorathānām | dātre rathānāṃ paratārakasya haṃtre pracaṃḍāsura tārakasya
உனக்கு நமஸ்காரம்—வணங்கி சரணடைந்தோரின் துயரை நீக்குபவனே, எல்லா நியாயமான விருப்பங்களையும் நிறைவேற்றுபவனே, பரமத் தாரகனுக்குரிய திவ்ய ரதத்தை அருள்பவனே, கொடிய தாரகாசுரனை வதைத்தவனே।
Agastya
Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (protective invocation)
Type: kshetra
Scene: Skanda stands as the compassionate protector, one hand in abhaya, another holding spear; behind him a faint vision of Tārakāsura’s defeat; Agastya bows, while a celestial chariot motif glimmers as a symbol of deliverance.
FAQs
Humility and surrender remove suffering; the divine also protects dharma by destroying oppressive forces.
Kāśī is the narrative setting; the verse contributes to Kāśī’s devotional atmosphere where stotra and darśana are extolled.
No direct rite is stated; the implied practice is praṇāma (prostration) and prayerful praise.