Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

वामदेवाय वामार्धधारिणे वृषगामिने । नमो भर्गाय भीमाय नतभीतिहराय च

Transliteration

vāmadevāya vāmārdhadhāriṇe vṛṣagāmine | namo bhargāya bhīmāya natabhītiharāya ca

Translation

礼敬婆摩提婆；礼敬持左半身、乘圣牛者。礼敬婆伽，礼敬威怖者，礼敬除去归伏礼拜者恐惧之主。

Word by Word

• वामदेवाय: to Vāmadeva
• वामदेवाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (वामः देवः)

• वामार्धधारिणे: to the bearer of the left half
• वामार्धधारिणे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वामस्य अर्धम्) + तत्पुरुषः (वामार्धं धारयति इति)

• वृषगामिने: to the one who rides the bull
• वृषगामिने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + गामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वृषेण/वृषं गच्छति इति)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (Salutation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• भर्गाय: to Bharga (the radiant one)
• भर्गाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• भीमाय: to the terrible one
• भीमाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• नतभीतिहराय: to the remover of the fear of the bowed/devotees
• नतभीतिहराय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from नम्) + भीति (प्रातिपदिक) + हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नतानां भीतिः) + तत्पुरुषः (भीतिं हरति इति)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Viśveśvara-kṣetra) with Ardhanārīśvara/Śiva-rūpa shrines

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims in the narrative frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva as Ardhanārīśvara stands with Nandin nearby; the left half is Pārvatī, the right half Śiva; a fearful devotee bows and is enveloped by a protective aura as ‘Bharga’ and ‘Bhīma’ are invoked.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Ardhanārīśvara
• Nandin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is both awe-inspiring and compassionate—He protects and removes fear for those who surrender.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The hymn belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, reinforcing Kāśī as the city of Śiva’s protection and grace.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Devotional surrender (namas/nati)—bowing and praising Śiva as a means to dispel fear.