Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

बालं रत्नैरलंकृत्य बद्ध्वा तं शिशुमारकम् । समर्पितं समानीय शंभुपादाब्जसंनिधौ

Transliteration

bālaṃ ratnairalaṃkṛtya baddhvā taṃ śiśumārakam | samarpitaṃ samānīya śaṃbhupādābjasaṃnidhau

Translation

బాలుణ్ణి రత్నాలతో అలంకరించి, ఆ మకరాన్ని బంధించి, అతనిని తీసికొని వచ్చి శంభువు పాదపద్మసన్నిధిలో సమర్పించిరి।

Word by Word

• बालम्: the boy
• बालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• रत्नैः: with jewels
• रत्नैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• अलंकृत्य: having adorned
• अलंकृत्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलङ्कृ (धातु) → अलंकृत्य (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-अव्यय)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) (having adorned)

• बद्ध्वा: having bound
• बद्ध्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु) → बद्ध्वा (क्त्वान्त-अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) (having bound)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• शिशुमारकम्: (as) a porpoise/dolphin (creature)
• शिशुमारकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशुमारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• समर्पितम्: offered
• समर्पितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अर्प् (धातु) → समर्पित (क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि (offered)

• समानीय: having brought
• समानीय: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + आ + नी (धातु) → समानीय (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-अव्यय)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) (having brought)

• शंभुपादाब्जसंनिधौ: in the presence of Śambhu’s lotus-feet
• शंभुपादाब्जसंनिधौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु + पाद + अब्ज + संनिधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘शंभोः पादाब्जस्य संनिधिः’ (Locative singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī; Śambhu-pāda-sannidhi (Śiva’s presence)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The child, now adorned with jewels, is respectfully placed near Śiva’s lotus-feet; the crocodile is bound, subdued, and brought as proof of restored dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Child (Kardama’s son)
• Śiśumāra (crocodile)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All resolutions culminate at Śiva’s feet—divine justice restores what was lost and turns danger into a testimony of grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse glorifies Śambhu’s presence as the ultimate refuge within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s sacred landscape; the exact shrine/tirtha name is not specified here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed, but the act of approaching Śiva’s lotus-feet reflects śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge) as a devotional practice.