Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

प्रत्येकं परिपृच्छयेशः सर्वानित्थं कृतादरान् । पृष्ट्वा गमनकार्यं च तेषां कृत्वा मनोरथान्

Transliteration

pratyekaṃ paripṛcchayeśaḥ sarvānitthaṃ kṛtādarān | pṛṣṭvā gamanakāryaṃ ca teṣāṃ kṛtvā manorathān

Translation

于是主宰恭敬而有礼地逐一询问，向众神尽其应有的敬意。既问明他们启程之事由，又满足其所愿，便准备送他们踏上归途。

Word by Word

• प्रत्येकम्: one by one, individually
• प्रत्येकम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण), अव्ययीभाव-समास; अर्थे: ‘एकैकम्/एक-एकम्’

• परिपृच्छय: ask (inquire)
• परिपृच्छय: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्ग: परि; धातु: प्रच्छ् (6)

• ईशः: the Lord
• ईशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• सर्वान्: all (of them)
• सर्वान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन

• इत्थम्: thus, in this manner
• इत्थम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण)

• कृतादरान्: having shown respect, attentive
• कृतादरान्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + आदर (प्रातिपदिक); कृत (कृ-धातु-निष्पन्न कृदन्त) + आदर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (कृतः आदरः येषाम्/कृत-आदर)

• पृष्ट्वा: having asked
• पृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातु: प्रच्छ्

• गमनकार्यम्: the matter of departure, what is to be done for going
• गमनकार्यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गमन + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (गमनस्य कार्यम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक-संबन्ध/Conjunction)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्यतः), षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन

• कृत्वा: having done, having fulfilled
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातु: कृ

• मनोरथान्: wishes, desires
• मनोरथान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनोरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa typically Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis at Naimiṣāraṇya (typical frame; not stated in the verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Within Kāśī’s divine court, the Lord respectfully addresses each deva/guest in turn, asking their needs and granting boons before their departure.

Characters & Entities

• Īśa (Śiva)
• Devas (implicit)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine authority is shown through humility and proper honor—dharma is upheld by respectful conduct even toward other powers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Kāśī Māhātmya (Vārāṇasī), though this verse itself focuses on conduct within the divine narrative rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the emphasis is on dharmic courtesy—inquiring, honoring, and fulfilling rightful requests.