Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

रावणारे नमस्तुभ्यं विभीषणशरण्यद । अजाय जयरूपाय रणांगणविचक्षण

Transliteration

rāvaṇāre namastubhyaṃ vibhīṣaṇaśaraṇyada | ajāya jayarūpāya raṇāṃgaṇavicakṣaṇa

Translation

Kính lễ Ngài, kẻ thù của Rāvaṇa, Đấng ban nơi nương tựa cho Vibhīṣaṇa. Kính lễ Đấng Vô Sinh, bản thể là Chiến Thắng, bậc tinh thông mưu lược nơi chiến địa.

Word by Word

• रावणारे: O enemy of Rāvaṇa
• रावणारे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रावण + अरि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रावणस्य अरिः)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• विभीषणशरण्यद: O giver of refuge to Vibhīṣaṇa
• विभीषणशरण्यद: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभीषण + शरण्य + द (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विभीषणस्य शरण्यः दाता/आश्रयदाता)

• अजाय: to the unborn one
• अजाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• जयरूपाय: to the embodiment of victory
• जयरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय + रूप (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-समासान्त-प्रातिपदिक; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जयस्य रूपम्)

• रणाङ्गणविचक्षण: O expert in the battlefield
• रणाङ्गणविचक्षण: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण + अङ्गण + विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रणाङ्गणे विचक्षणः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-kṣetra (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma stands poised as the conqueror of Rāvaṇa, yet with open palm of refuge toward Vibhīṣaṇa; the battlefield is suggested, but the focus is on discernment and protective grace.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Rāvaṇa
• Vibhīṣaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge) is upheld as dharma; the Lord protects the surrendered and establishes victory for righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate verse is a Rāma-stuti; the broader glorification belongs to Kāśī as the narrative setting of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the implied practice is stuti and remembrance of Rāma’s dharmic deeds.