Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

शंभोर्वाक्यमथाकर्ण्य ऊचुस्ताश्च कुमारिकाः । यदि देयो वरोऽस्माकं वरयोग्याः स्म शंकर

Transliteration

śaṃbhorvākyamathākarṇya ūcustāśca kumārikāḥ | yadi deyo varo'smākaṃ varayogyāḥ sma śaṃkara

Translation

శంభువు మాటలు విని ఆ కుమారికలు పలికిరి—“హే శంకరా, మాకు వరం ఇవ్వదలచినచో, మేము వరయోగ్యులమే।”

Word by Word

• śaṃbhoḥ: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• vākyam: the statement, words
• vākyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then)

• ākarṇya: having heard
• ākarṇya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-karṇ (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यपन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): 'having heard'

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• tāḥ: they (those women)
• tāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• kumārikāḥ: maidens
• kumārikāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumārikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle: 'if')

• deyaḥ: to be given
• deyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dā (धातु) + yat (यत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative: 'to be given'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (varaḥ)

• varaḥ: a boon
• varaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• asmākam: of us, for us
• asmākam: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• vara-yogyāḥ: worthy of a boon
• vara-yogyāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + yogya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (varasya yogyāḥ)

• sma: indeed / (we) were
• sma: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sma (अव्यय)
• Form: स्म-निपात (particle indicating past/assurance; often with imperfect/perfect sense)

• śaṃkara: O Śaṅkara
• śaṃkara: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Kumārikās (the maidens; Dakṣa’s daughters/nakṣatra-maidens)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The maidens, hands folded, speak in unison to Śambhu; their faces show composed confidence; Śiva listens, calm and attentive, with a slight smile of grace.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Śaṅkara
• Kumārikās

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual effort creates adhikāra (worthiness); devotees approach the Lord with confidence grounded in discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The dialogue unfolds within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa narrative world centered on Viśveśvara’s Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it implies the prerequisite of tapas as the basis for receiving divine grace.