Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 47
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन पठितव्यः स्तवोत्तमः । अभीष्टद इति ख्यातः स्तवोयं सर्वसिद्धिदः
tasmātsarvaprayatnena paṭhitavyaḥ stavottamaḥ | abhīṣṭada iti khyātaḥ stavoyaṃ sarvasiddhidaḥ
ฉะนั้นพึงเพียรพยายามอย่างยิ่งในการสวดสรรเสริญบทอันประเสริฐนี้ บทนี้เลื่องชื่อว่า ‘อภิษฺฏท’ ผู้ประทานพรตามปรารถนา; และเป็นบทสรรเสริญที่ให้สำเร็จทุกสิทธิ
Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue convention)
Tirtha: Kāśī / Avimukta-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣis (frame implied; not explicit)
Scene: A devotee seated on a ghāṭa step or in a temple mandapa, holding a palm-leaf manuscript, reciting the ‘Abhīṣṭada’ stava; subtle divine presence indicates ‘sarva-siddhi’—lotus, conch, trident motifs hovering as symbols of attainments.
FAQs
Persistent recitation (stotra-pāṭha) is upheld as a direct, dharmic means to attain both desired aims and comprehensive spiritual success.
The verse belongs to Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s celebration of Kāśī’s sacred power, though it highlights a hymn rather than a named tirtha.
Recitation of the “stavottama,” explicitly recommended ‘with all effort’ as the practical discipline.