Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । शृणु देवि यथा पृष्टं भवत्या भवतारिणि । मनोरथव्रतं चैतद्गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं परम्

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | śṛṇu devi yathā pṛṣṭaṃ bhavatyā bhavatāriṇi | manorathavrataṃ caitadguhyādguhyataraṃ param

Translation

自在天说道：“听吧，女神啊，依你所问，汝乃解脱世间生死流转者。此‘满愿誓’至高无上，比秘密更为隐秘。”

Word by Word

• ईश्वरः: Īśvara (the Lord)
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवि: O देवी
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• यथा: as
• यथा: Prakaraṇa (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as/how)

• पृष्टम्: asked
• पृष्टम्: Karma (Predicate to implied ‘etat’/विषय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘asked’

• भवत्या: by you
• भवत्या: Karana (Agent in passive sense/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; आदरार्थ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; ‘by you’ (honorific)

• भवतारिणि: O you who help (others) cross over
• भवतारिणि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् + तारिणी (प्रातिपदिक; √तॄ ‘to cross’ से)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘भवती एव तारिणी’ (you who ferry across)

• मनोरथव्रतम्: the Manoratha vow
• मनोरथव्रतम्: Karta (Subject/topic/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनोरथ + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘मनोरथस्य व्रतम्’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Apposition (Identifier/निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; निर्देशक (this)

• गुह्यात्: than (what is) secret
• गुह्यात्: Visheshana (Comparative qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; तुलनार्थे—‘गुह्यात् (अपि)’ = ‘than secret’

• गुह्यतरम्: more secret
• गुह्यतरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य + तर (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative): ‘more secret’

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (supreme)

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Manoratha-vrata (declared rahasya)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (addressed as bhava-tāriṇī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Īśvara begins a confidential teaching: Śiva leans slightly forward in instruction, Devī attentive; the environment quiet, lamp-lit, suggesting secrecy and sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Devī (Pārvatī)
• Manoratha-vrata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Some dharmic observances are treated as ‘guhya’ because their power lies in right intention, right method, and sacred transmission.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The vow’s teaching belongs to Kāśīkhaṇḍa, aligning its sanctity with Kāśī’s spiritual authority.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śiva introduces the Manoratha-vrata as a special observance and prepares to describe its vidhi and phala.