Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

कृतनीराजनविधिरष्टभिर्देवमातृभिः । पिनाकपाणिरुत्तस्थौ दत्तहस्तोथ शार्ङ्गिणा

Transliteration

kṛtanīrājanavidhiraṣṭabhirdevamātṛbhiḥ | pinākapāṇiruttasthau dattahastotha śārṅgiṇā

Translation

八位天母完成了阿拉提（nīrājana，献灯净礼）之后，执持毗那迦弓的主宰湿婆起身；继而与持娑楞伽弓的毗湿奴手牵手前行——象征在迦尸圣剧中至上诸神的和合。

Word by Word

• कृतनीराजनविधिः: one for whom the nīrājana rite was performed
• कृतनीराजनविधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ कर्तने/करणे, क्त) + नीराजन (प्रातिपदिक) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (नीराजनस्य विधिः; कृतः नीराजनविधिः = 'one whose ārati-rite is done')

• अष्टभिः: by eight
• अष्टभिः: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (सर्वलिङ्ग), तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• देवमातृभिः: by the divine mothers
• देवमातृभिः: Karana (Agent/Instrument in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां मातरः)

• पिनाकपाणिः: he whose hand holds the Pināka (Śiva)
• पिनाकपाणिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाक (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (पिनाकः पाणौ यस्य सः)

• उत्तस्थौ: rose up, stood up
• उत्तस्थौ: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + √स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दत्तहस्तः: with hand extended/given (offering his hand)
• दत्तहस्तः: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्त (कृदन्त; √दा दाने, क्त) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (दत्तः हस्तः यस्य सः)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle: 'then')

• शार्ङ्गिणा: by/with Śārṅgin (Viṣṇu)
• शार्ङ्गिणा: Sahakari/Karana (Accompaniment/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'शार्ङ्ग'धनुषः धारकः (विष्णुः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from immediate narrative continuity in Adhyāya 12)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (nīrājana and Hari-Hara concord episode)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Eight divine mothers in a semicircle performing nīrājana with lamps; Śiva with Pināka rises from his seat; Viṣṇu with Śārṅga takes Śiva’s hand; both proceed together amid radiant lamp-light and temple splendor.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Pinākapāṇi)
• Viṣṇu (Śārṅgin)
• Aṣṭa Devamātṛkāḥ (Eight Mothers)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual devotion (ārati) is honored by the highest powers, and divine unity (Śiva–Viṣṇu) is affirmed in the sacred space.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied setting where this divine worship scene unfolds.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nīrājana (ārati)—the ceremonial waving of lights—performed here by the eight Divine Mothers.