Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

परं शतं न किंशैला इलाकलनकेलयः । इह संति सतां मान्या मान्यास्ते तु स्वभूमिषु

Transliteration

paraṃ śataṃ na kiṃśailā ilākalanakelayaḥ | iha saṃti satāṃ mānyā mānyāste tu svabhūmiṣu

Translation

ليست هناك مئةُ جبَلٍ فحسب بأسماءٍ شتّى وفروقٍ متنوّعة. هنا يُكرِم الصالحون كثيرًا منها، غير أنّ كلَّ واحدٍ يُعظَّمُ على الأخصّ في أرضه.

Word by Word

• परम्: higher; more; exceeding
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण (adjectival use)

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• किंशैलाः: Kiṃśaila mountains (a class/name of mountains)
• किंशैलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंशैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• इलाकलनकेलयः: Ilākalana-keli mountains (proper name/group)
• इलाकलनकेलयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इलाकलनकेलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• सन्ति: are; exist
• सन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• सताम्: of the good/virtuous
• सताम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन

• मान्याः: honourable; respected
• मान्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• मान्याः: honourable
• मान्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but; however
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (adversative/emphatic particle)

• स्वभूमिषु: in their own lands
• स्वभूमिषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य भूमिः)

Speaker

Vindhya

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic ‘map’ of Bhārata’s famed mountains, each with its own emblem, while the narrator hints that their honor is bounded by their own regions.

Characters & Entities

• Mountains
• Vindhya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Respect is contextual: many places are venerable, but their glory is understood within their rightful sphere—avoiding needless rivalry.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tirtha is named; the verse expresses a mahātmya-style principle of regional sanctity that later supports Kāśī’s unsurpassed status.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.