Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

श्रीकंठाय नमस्तुभ्यं विषकंठाय ते नमः । वैकुंठवंद्यपादाय नमोऽकुंठितशक्तये

Transliteration

śrīkaṃṭhāya namastubhyaṃ viṣakaṃṭhāya te namaḥ | vaikuṃṭhavaṃdyapādāya namo'kuṃṭhitaśaktaye

Translation

礼敬于汝，吉祥喉者；礼敬于汝，含毒喉者。礼敬于彼，其足连毗昆塔亦所敬仰；礼敬于汝，威力无碍无阻者。

Word by Word

• श्रीकण्ठाय: to Śrīkaṇṭha (the auspicious-throated one)
• श्रीकण्ठाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा/विशेष्य (epithet)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थक-प्रयोग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नमस्तुभ्यम् इति संधौ रूपम्

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

• विषकण्ठाय: to the poison-throated one
• विषकण्ठाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा/विशेष्य (epithet: poison-throated)

• ते: of you; to you (contextual)
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enclitic)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थक-प्रयोग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वैकुण्ठवन्द्यपादाय: to him whose feet are adored in Vaikuṇṭha
• वैकुण्ठवन्द्यपादाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैकुण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + वन्द्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वन्द् धातोः, यत्) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (whose feet are worshipped in Vaikuṇṭha)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थक-प्रयोग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नमोऽकुंठितशक्तये इति संधौ रूपम्

• अकुण्ठितशक्तये: to (you) of unimpeded power
• अकुण्ठितशक्तये: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (उपसर्ग/निषेध) + कुण्ठित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; कुण्ठ् धातोः क्त) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to the one of unobstructed power)

Speaker

Jaigīṣavya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī Viśvanātha kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim-audience / ṛṣi audience (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva with blue throat (Nīlakaṇṭha) stands serene; devas and Viṣṇu (symbolically from Vaikuṇṭha) offer reverence at his feet; aura of unstoppable power radiates outward.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Śrīkaṇṭha/Viṣakaṇṭha)
• Vaikuṇṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva transforms poison into auspiciousness and remains supreme—His power protects and uplifts devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred landscape; the hymn underscores Śiva’s supremacy as Kāśī’s Lord.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it supports recitation of Śiva’s epithets in pūjā, especially Nīlakaṇṭha-themed devotion.