Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

शचीपते प्रसन्नोस्मि वरं वरय सुव्रत । किं देयं द्रुतमाख्याहि धर्मपीठकृतास्पद

Transliteration

śacīpate prasannosmi varaṃ varaya suvrata | kiṃ deyaṃ drutamākhyāhi dharmapīṭhakṛtāspada

Translation

“Hỡi Śacīpati, Ta đã hoan hỷ. Này người giữ giới nguyện thanh tịnh, hãy chọn một ân phúc. Mau nói điều cần ban—hỡi người nương tựa nơi Dharmapīṭha.”

Word by Word

• शचीपते: O lord of Śacī (Indra)
• शचीपते: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शचीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Vocative Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘शच्याः पतिः’

• प्रसन्नः: pleased
• प्रसन्नः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative Singular

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriyā (Copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन — 1sg present

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगे नपुंसकं), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative Singular

• वरय: choose
• वरय: Kriyā (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन — 2sg imperative (परस्मैपद)

• सुव्रत: O good-vowed one
• सुव्रत: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Vocative Singular; कर्मधारयः ‘सुन्दरं व्रतं यस्य’

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Interrogative object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Interrogative ‘what?’

• देयम्: is to be given
• देयम्: Kriyā (Predicate necessity)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Gerundive/Future passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘to be given’

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुतम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) — ‘quickly’

• आख्याहि: tell; declare
• आख्याहि: Kriyā (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन — 2sg imperative (परस्मैपद)

• धर्मपीठकृतास्पद: O you whose abode is made a seat of dharma
• धर्मपीठकृतास्पद: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मपीठ + कृत + आस्पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Vocative Singular; तत्पुरुषः ‘धर्मपीठं कृतम् आस्पदं येन’ (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे समासप्रयोगः)

Speaker

Śiva (Bhava/Mahādeva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmapīṭha / Dharmeśvara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhava addresses Indra: pleased, He invites him to choose a boon, acknowledging Indra’s refuge at Dharmapīṭha; the sanctum is charged with compassionate authority.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Indra (Śacīpati)
• Śacī
• Dharmapīṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s grace responds to sincere discipline and refuge in a dharmic tīrtha, opening the door to divine boons.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmapīṭha in Kāśī, presented as a potent seat of dharma where Śiva becomes readily pleased.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; the verse highlights vrata (disciplined vow) and taking refuge at Dharmapīṭha.