Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 40
स एव धन्यस्तव भक्तिभाग्यस्तवार्चको यः सुकृती स एव । तवस्तुतिं यः कुरुते सदैव स स्तूयते दुश्च्यवनादि देवैः
sa eva dhanyastava bhaktibhāgyastavārcako yaḥ sukṛtī sa eva | tavastutiṃ yaḥ kurute sadaiva sa stūyate duścyavanādi devaiḥ
وہی دھنّ ہے جسے تیری بھکتی کی دولت نصیب ہو؛ وہی نیک بخت ہے جو تیری پوجا کرتا ہے۔ جو ہمیشہ تیری ستوتی کرتا رہتا ہے، اُس کی تعریف خود دیوتا بھی کرتے ہیں—دُشچَیون اور دیگر۔
Unnamed devotee/praiser
Tirtha: Kāśī (Viśveśvara)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A humble worshipper performing Śiva-arcana and singing stuti; devas in the sky (including the named Duścyavana and others) shower flowers and praise the devotee, reversing the usual direction of praise.
FAQs
Consistent worship and praise of Śiva is presented as a supreme merit that elevates the devotee to being honored even among divine beings.
Kāśī is the textual setting; the verse emphasizes devotional fruit (puṇya) rather than a named tīrtha.
Regular arcana (worship) and stuti (hymnic praise) of Śiva.