Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

इमां कृत्तिं विरूपाक्ष त्वत्त्रिशूलाग्निपाविताम् । स्वप्रमाणां सुखस्पर्शां रणांगणपणीकृताम्

Transliteration

imāṃ kṛttiṃ virūpākṣa tvattriśūlāgnipāvitām | svapramāṇāṃ sukhasparśāṃ raṇāṃgaṇapaṇīkṛtām

Translation

“โอ้พระวิรูปाक्षะ หนังผืนนี้—ชำระด้วยไฟแห่งตรีศูลของพระองค์—มีขนาดพอเหมาะ สัมผัสรื่นรมย์ ได้มาด้วยเป็นเดิมพันในสนามรบ…”

Word by Word

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण

• कृत्तिम्: hide, skin
• कृत्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• विरूपाक्ष: O Virūpākṣa (odd-eyed one)
• विरूपाक्ष: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरूप + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन; एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (विरूपे अक्षिणी यस्य सः)

• त्वत्: your
• त्वत्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचन (genitive); अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (enclitic stem)

• त्रिशूलाग्निपाविताम्: purified by the fire of (your) trident
• त्रिशूलाग्निपाविताम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिशूल + अग्नि + पावित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (त्रिशूल-अग्निना पाविता)

• स्वप्रमाणाम्: of fitting measure
• स्वप्रमाणाम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य प्रमाणम्/स्वप्रमाणा = स्व-परिमाणयुक्ता)

• सुखस्पर्शाम्: pleasant to touch
• सुखस्पर्शाम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख + स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (सुखः स्पर्शः यस्याः)

• रणांगणपणीकृताम्: made a stake on the battlefield
• रणांगणपणीकृताम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रण + अङ्गण + पणीकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (रण-अङ्गणे पणीकृता = युद्धभूमौ द्यूत/पणरूपेण कृताः)

Speaker

Gajāsura

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Frame audience (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gajāsura presents the idea of his own hide—purified by the fiery power of Śiva’s trident—described as perfectly measured and pleasing, won as a battlefield wager, to be worn by the Lord.

Characters & Entities

• Gajāsura
• Śiva (Virūpākṣa)
• Triśūla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

What is touched by Śiva (even through the ‘fire’ of his weapon) becomes purified—suggesting transformation through divine contact.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī Khaṇḍa context continues to glorify Kāśī as the stage where Śiva’s acts become sacred models and symbols.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it details the requested boon in terms of sacred iconographic symbolism.