Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

शंभुं प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य प्रणम्य च पुनःपुनः । प्रतस्थेऽथ सलक्ष्मीको मंदराद्गरुडध्वजः

Transliteration

śaṃbhuṃ pradakṣiṇīkṛtya praṇamya ca punaḥpunaḥ | pratasthe'tha salakṣmīko maṃdarādgaruḍadhvajaḥ

Translation

சம்புவை பிரதட்சிணை செய்து, மீண்டும் மீண்டும் வணங்கி, லக்ஷ்மியுடன் கூடிய கருடத்வஜன் விஷ்ணு அப்போது மந்தர மலையிலிருந்து புறப்பட்டான்.

Word by Word

• शम्भुम्: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य: having circumambulated
• प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रदक्षिणी-कृ (कृदन्त; √कृ धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — 'having circumambulated'

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-नम् (कृदन्त; √नम् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय — 'having bowed'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पुनःपुनः: again and again
• पुनःपुनः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनःपुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: repeatedly)

• प्रतस्थे: set out/departed
• प्रतस्थे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम् — 'set out'

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Sequencing/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then)

• सलक्ष्मीकः: together with Lakṣmī
• सलक्ष्मीकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-लक्ष्मी-क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: लक्ष्म्या सहितः (accompanied by Lakṣmī)

• मन्दरात्: from Mandara (mountain)
• मन्दरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• गरुडध्वजः: Garuḍa-bannered (Viṣṇu)
• गरुडध्वजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड-ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: गरुडस्य ध्वजः (he whose banner is Garuḍa)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mandara (departure locus) / Kāśī (destination implied)

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu with Lakṣmī, Garuḍa-banner visible, circumambulating Śambhu with folded hands; a mountain backdrop (Mandara) and the sense of departure toward Kāśī.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śambhu)
• Viṣṇu (Garuḍadhvaja)
• Lakṣmī
• Mandara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even Viṣṇu exemplifies reverence to Śiva—devotion and humility are the pilgrim’s ornaments.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the narrative goal in this adhyāya; the verse frames the departure toward the Kāśī pilgrimage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pradakṣiṇā (circumambulation) and repeated praṇāma (prostration) to Śiva.