Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

अपूपुजत्ततो मां सा भक्त्या परमया मुदा । गीतेन सरहस्येन कलकंठीकलेन हि

Transliteration

apūpujattato māṃ sā bhaktyā paramayā mudā | gītena sarahasyena kalakaṃṭhīkalena hi

Translation

แล้วนางก็บูชาข้าพเจ้าด้วยภักติอันยิ่งและความปีติ—ด้วยบทเพลงที่แฝงนัยเร้นลับอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ในทำนองหวานดุจนกกาเหว่า

Word by Word

• अपूपुजत्: worshipped
• अपूपुजत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्गः ‘आ’

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/हेतुवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (then/thereafter)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• परमया: supreme, highest
• परमया: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (भक्त्या)

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• गीतेन: with song
• गीतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक; √गै/गाय्-जन्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सरहस्येन: together with (its) secret/mystery
• सरहस्येन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्ययार्थ) + रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सह-तत्पुरुषः (रहस्येन सह)

• कलकंठीकलेन: with a sweet cuckoo-like tone
• कलकंठीकलेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कलकंठी (प्रातिपदिक) + कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कलकंठ्याः कलः)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

Speaker

Śiva (continuing the narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim-audience/sages (implicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The maiden stands or kneels before a black stone liṅga adorned with bilva leaves and flowers, hands in añjali or holding a vīṇā/tāla; her face is radiant with joy as she sings, the air filled with subtle musical motifs.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Puloma-tanayā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion expressed through heartfelt praise and meaningful song is portrayed as especially potent in pleasing Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative is part of Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s teaching framework, implicitly connected to Kāśī’s Shaiva devotional culture.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śiva-worship (pūjā) accompanied by gīta (devotional singing) with contemplative intent (rahasya) is indicated.