Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

शचीपते प्रसन्नोस्मि वरं वरय सुव्रत । किं देयं द्रुतमाख्याहि धर्मपीठकृतास्पद

Transliteration

śacīpate prasannosmi varaṃ varaya suvrata | kiṃ deyaṃ drutamākhyāhi dharmapīṭhakṛtāspada

Translation

‘హే శచీపతే! నేను ప్రసన్నుడను. హే సువ్రతా, వరము కోరుకొనుము. ధర్మపీఠమున ఆశ్రయించినవాడా, త్వరగా చెప్పు—ఏమి ఇవ్వవలెను?’

Word by Word

• शचीपते: O lord of Śacī (Indra)
• शचीपते: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शचीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Vocative Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘शच्याः पतिः’

• प्रसन्नः: pleased
• प्रसन्नः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative Singular

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriyā (Copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन — 1sg present

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे नपुंसकं), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative Singular

• वरय: choose
• वरय: Kriyā (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन — 2sg imperative (परस्मैपद)

• सुव्रत: O good-vowed one
• सुव्रत: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Vocative Singular; कर्मधारयः ‘सुन्दरं व्रतं यस्य’

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Interrogative object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Interrogative ‘what?’

• देयम्: is to be given
• देयम्: Kriyā (Predicate necessity)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Gerundive/Future passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘to be given’

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुतम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — ‘quickly’

• आख्याहि: tell; declare
• आख्याहि: Kriyā (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन — 2sg imperative (परस्मैपद)

• धर्मपीठकृतास्पद: O you whose abode is made a seat of dharma
• धर्मपीठकृतास्पद: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मपीठ + कृत + आस्पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Vocative Singular; तत्पुरुषः ‘धर्मपीठं कृतम् आस्पदं येन’ (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे समासप्रयोगः)

Speaker

Śiva (Bhava/Mahādeva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmapīṭha / Dharmeśvara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhava addresses Indra: pleased, He invites him to choose a boon, acknowledging Indra’s refuge at Dharmapīṭha; the sanctum is charged with compassionate authority.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Indra (Śacīpati)
• Śacī
• Dharmapīṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s grace responds to sincere discipline and refuge in a dharmic tīrtha, opening the door to divine boons.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmapīṭha in Kāśī, presented as a potent seat of dharma where Śiva becomes readily pleased.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; the verse highlights vrata (disciplined vow) and taking refuge at Dharmapīṭha.