Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48
नमो धीराय धर्माय धर्मपालाय ते नमः । नीलग्रीव नमस्तुभ्यं नमस्ते नीललोहित
namo dhīrāya dharmāya dharmapālāya te namaḥ | nīlagrīva namastubhyaṃ namaste nīlalohita
اے ثابت قدم! اے خود دھرم! اے دھرم کے محافظ! آپ کو نمسکار۔ اے نیل گریو (نیلے گلے والے)! آپ کو نمسکار؛ اے نیل لوہت! آپ کو نمسکار۔
Skanda (deduced for Kāśī Khaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣi audience / pilgrims
Scene: Blue-throated Śiva (Nīlagrīva) stands as a guardian at Kāśī’s threshold, holding protective posture; a subtle ocean-churning vignette may appear in the background as symbolic reference to poison-bearing for the world’s welfare.
FAQs
Śiva is praised as the ground and guardian of dharma—devotion is framed as alignment with moral and cosmic order.
The Kāśī setting is implicit; the verse is part of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s glorification of Śiva’s presence in the sacred city.
None explicitly; the verse primarily offers nāma-namaskāra (salutation through divine names).