Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

वामनाख्येमहातीर्थे मनःप्रार्थितदे शुभे । पूज्योहं शुभमिच्छद्भिर्नाम्ना वामनकेशवः

Transliteration

vāmanākhyemahātīrthe manaḥprārthitade śubhe | pūjyohaṃ śubhamicchadbhirnāmnā vāmanakeśavaḥ

Translation

‘வாமன’ எனப்படும் மகாதீர்த்தத்தில்—மங்களகரமும் மனம் வேண்டியதை அருள்வதும்—நன்மை நாடும் பக்தர்கள் என்னை ‘வாமனகேசவ’ என்ற நாமத்தால் வழிபட வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• वामनाख्ये: in (the) Vāmana-named
• वामनाख्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वामन-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7 विभक्ति), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (वामन इति आख्या यस्य)

• महातीर्थे: in the great tīrtha
• महातीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7 विभक्ति), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महत्तीरथम्)

• मनःप्रार्थितदे: in (the place) that grants what is desired in the mind
• मनःप्रार्थितदे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनः-प्रार्थित-द (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7 विभक्ति), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (मनसा प्रार्थितं ददाति/यत्र दत्तं) — तीर्थे इति विशेषणम्

• शुभे: in the auspicious (place)
• शुभे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7 विभक्ति), एकवचन; तीर्थे इति विशेषणम्

• पूज्यः: worthy of worship
• पूज्यः: Karta (Predicate/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूज्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्) कर्तव्यतावाचक/योग्यतावाचक; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• शुभम्: auspicious good
• शुभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• इच्छद्भिः: by those who desire
• इच्छद्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष् (धातु) → इच्छत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3 विभक्ति), बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक ('by those who desire')

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• वामनकेशवः: Vāmana-Keśava (name/title)
• वामनकेशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामन-केशव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1 विभक्ति), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (वामनः केशवः इव/नाम)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context) speaking to Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vāmana-mahā-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims/devotees within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa teaching frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a broad, auspicious ford in Kashi, Vāmanakeśava is worshipped; the deity may be shown as Vāmana (dwarf-brāhmaṇa) with umbrella and water-pot, or as Keśava with Vāmana symbolism; devotees offer prayers for śubha outcomes.

Characters & Entities

• Vāmana-tīrtha (Mahātīrtha)
• Vāmanakeśava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seeking śubha through tīrtha-pūjā is endorsed as a dharmic pursuit, with Kāśī’s sites described as boon-granting when approached reverently.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The great Vāmana-tīrtha (Vāmana Mahātīrtha) in Kāśī, where the deity is Vāmanakeśava.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā (worship) of Vāmanakeśava by those who desire auspicious outcomes.