Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

उत्त्रासित महामृत्यु महाबलगणावृतम् । शरणार्थिकृतत्राणं नत निर्वाणकारणम् । मनोरथपथातीतं वरदानपरायणम्

Transliteration

uttrāsita mahāmṛtyu mahābalagaṇāvṛtam | śaraṇārthikṛtatrāṇaṃ nata nirvāṇakāraṇam | manorathapathātītaṃ varadānaparāyaṇam

Translation

พระองค์ยังทรงทำให้มหามฤตยูสะท้าน; ทรงแวดล้อมด้วยหมู่คณะผู้มีกำลังยิ่งใหญ่. ทรงคุ้มครองผู้มาขอพึ่ง; สำหรับผู้ก้มกราบ พระองค์เป็นเหตุแห่งนิรวาณ. ทรงอยู่เหนือหนทางแห่งความปรารถนา และทรงมุ่งมั่นในการประทานพรทั้งปวง.

Word by Word

• उत्त्रासित: frightened; made to tremble
• उत्त्रासित: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्-त्रस् (धातु) → उत्त्रासित (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• महामृत्यु: great Death (Mahāmṛtyu)
• महामृत्यु: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; समासः—कर्मधारयः

• महाबलगणावृतम्: surrounded by hosts of great strength
• महाबलगणावृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः ‘आवृत’); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (महाबलानां गणैः आवृतम्)

• शरणार्थिकृतत्राणम्: a protection made for those seeking refuge
• शरणार्थिकृतत्राणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त) + त्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शरणार्थिनां कृते त्राणम् / शरणार्थिभ्यः कृतं त्राणम्)

• नत: bowed down; revered
• नत: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नम् (धातु) → नत (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• निर्वाणकारणम्: cause of liberation (nirvāṇa)
• निर्वाणकारणम्: Samanaadhikarana/Predicate Noun (विशेष्य-विशेषणभावः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (निर्वाणस्य कारणम्)

• मनोरथपथातीतम्: beyond the path/range of imagination
• मनोरथपथातीतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोरथ (प्रातिपदिक) + पथ (प्रातिपदिक) + अतीत (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः ‘अतीत’); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मनोरथस्य पथम् अतीतम्)

• वरदानपरायणम्: devoted to granting boons
• वरदानपरायणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वरदान-परायणम् = वरदानं प्रति परायणम्)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī / Viśveśvara-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: a brāhmaṇa interlocutor (dvija addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic Śiva who terrifies Mahāmṛtyu, encircled by mighty gaṇas; devotees prostrate at His feet receiving protection and the promise of nirvāṇa; a subtle aura showing desires falling away beyond the ‘path of wishes’.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Gaṇas
• Mṛtyu (Death)
• Nirvāṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Surrender to Śiva removes fear—even fear of death—and becomes the direct cause of liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kāśī Khaṇḍa, the promise of liberation aligns with Kāśī’s fame as the city where Śiva grants mokṣa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is stated; the prescription is devotional: take refuge, bow in humility, and seek Śiva’s grace.