Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

यथाभिलषितं रूपं यथाभिलषितं सुखम् । यथाभिलषितं चायुः प्रसन्नो देहि मे भव

Transliteration

yathābhilaṣitaṃ rūpaṃ yathābhilaṣitaṃ sukham | yathābhilaṣitaṃ cāyuḥ prasanno dehi me bhava

Translation

ข้าแต่เทพผู้เปี่ยมเมตตา โปรดประทานด้วยพระกรุณา รูปโฉมดังที่ข้าพเจ้าปรารถนา ความสุขดังที่ข้าพเจ้าปรารถนา และอายุยืนดังที่ข้าพเจ้าปรารถนา

Word by Word

• यथाभिलषितम्: as desired
• यथाभिलषितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + अभिलषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √लष्/लष् ‘इच्छायाम्’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्तम् (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त) ‘अभिलषित’ = इच्छित; अव्ययीभावः ‘यथा’ + ‘अभिलषित’ = ‘यथाभिलषित’ (as desired)

• रूपम्: form, beauty
• रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्

• यथाभिलषितम्: as desired
• यथाभिलषितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + अभिलषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √लष्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• यथाभिलषितम्: as desired
• यथाभिलषितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + अभिलषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √लष्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• आयुः: life-span
• आयुः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• प्रसन्नः: gracious, pleased
• प्रसन्नः: Sambodhana/Qualifier (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सम्बोधनार्थे/विशेषणम् (देवस्य)

• देहि: grant, give
• देहि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुषः (2nd), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (Dative/4th) वा षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम्; अत्र ‘मम’/‘मह्यम्’ अर्थे (to me)

• भव: be (so), become
• भव: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; ‘भव’ = ‘be’ (addressing deity)

Speaker

Pulomā’s daughter (Paulomī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/devotees

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee petitions Śiva for desired form, happiness, and lifespan; the deity’s compassionate ‘prasanna’ aspect is emphasized, with offerings at a liṅga in a Kāśī shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Bhava (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even worldly aims (rūpa, sukha, āyuḥ) are sought through devotion and divine grace rather than mere self-effort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred field where such prayers and vratas are taught to bear fruit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse is a direct petition to Śiva; the formal prescription is introduced later as a vrata (vow-observance).