Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

सौधाग्रविविधस्वर्णकलशोज्वलदिङ्मुखाम् । जयंतीवैजयंतीनां निकरैस्त्रिदिवस्थलीम्

Transliteration

saudhāgravividhasvarṇakalaśojvaladiṅmukhām | jayaṃtīvaijayaṃtīnāṃ nikaraistridivasthalīm

Translation

كانت آفاقها تتلألأ بتعدّد القِلال الذهبية فوق قصورٍ شامخة؛ ومع جموع أكاليل الجايَنتي والڤايجايَنتي بدت كأنها مملكةُ الدِّيفات ذاتها.

Word by Word

• सौधाग्रविविधस्वर्णकलशोज्वलदिङ्मुखाम्: whose horizons were bright with various golden finials atop mansions
• सौधाग्रविविधस्वर्णकलशोज्वलदिङ्मुखाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौध-अग्र-विविध-स्वर्ण-कलश-उज्ज्वल-दिङ्मुखा (प्रातिपदिक; सौध + अग्र + विविध + स्वर्ण + कलश + उज्ज्वल + दिङ्मुखा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; बहुपद-समासः (प्रधानः दिङ्मुखा), अर्थः—सौधाग्रेषु विविधस्वर्णकलशैः उज्ज्वलानि दिङ्मुखानि यस्याः सा

• जयंतीवैजयंतीनाम्: of Jayanti and Vaijayanti (garlands/banners)
• जयंतीवैजयंतीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जयंती-वैजयंती (प्रातिपदिक; जयंती + वैजयंती)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (जयंती च वैजयंती च)

• निकरैः: with clusters, multitudes
• निकरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• त्रिदिवस्थलीम्: the celestial region (heavenly city)
• त्रिदिवस्थलीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदिव-स्थली (प्रातिपदिक; त्रिदिव + स्थली)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (त्रिदिवस्य स्थली)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muni (sage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kāśī’s horizons blaze with golden finials atop lofty buildings; masses of jayantī and vaijayantī garlands hang in profusion, making the city appear like the celestial world.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The kṣetra is ‘heaven-like’ not merely by beauty but by sanctity—divine presence makes Kāśī a terrestrial paradise.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), praised as comparable to the celestial worlds.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse supports temple-centered devotion by celebrating sacred architecture and adornment.