Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

एतत्कथय मे प्राज्ञ सर्वज्ञानंदवर्धन । श्रुत्वागस्त्युदितं वाक्यं तारकारिरुवाच ह

Transliteration

etatkathaya me prājña sarvajñānaṃdavardhana | śrutvāgastyuditaṃ vākyaṃ tārakāriruvāca ha

Translation

“Xin hãy nói cho ta điều ấy, hỡi bậc trí, đấng làm tăng trưởng mọi tri thức và hỷ lạc.” Nghe lời của Agastya, Đấng diệt Tāraka (Skanda) liền cất lời.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कथय: tell
• कथय: Kriya (Injunction/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Gen./Dat.), एकवचन (Singular); अत्र चतुर्थी (to me)

• प्राज्ञ: O wise one
• प्राज्ञ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वज्ञानन्दवर्धन: O increaser of the joy of the omniscient (one)
• सर्वज्ञानन्दवर्धन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वज्ञ-आनन्द-वर्धन (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वज्ञ + आनन्द + वर्धन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• अगस्त्युदितम्: uttered by Agastya
• अगस्त्युदितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अगस्त्य-उदित (प्रातिपदिक; अगस्त्य + उदित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying वाक्यम्)

• वाक्यम्: the statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तारकारिः: the slayer of Tāraka (Skanda)
• तारकारिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक-अरि (प्रातिपदिक; तारक + अरि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed
• ह: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: पादपूरण/निपात (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Narrator (within Skanda–Agastya dialogue); lead-in to Skanda’s reply

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Agastya praises Skanda as wise and as an increaser of knowledge and bliss; Skanda, the slayer of Tāraka, begins his reply—transition from question to authoritative exposition.

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• Skanda (Tārakāri)
• Tāraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverent request and qualified instruction are central to Purāṇic transmission: wisdom is conveyed through dialogue that deepens knowledge and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-focused tradition, but this verse functions as a conversational bridge rather than tīrtha praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual prescription is stated.