Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 88

Devanagari script

तस्या सखीद्वयं चासीदेका नाम्ना प्रभावती । कलावती तथान्या च नित्यं तदनुगे उभे

Transliteration

tasyā sakhīdvayaṃ cāsīdekā nāmnā prabhāvatī | kalāvatī tathānyā ca nityaṃ tadanuge ubhe

Translation

وكانت لها رفيقتان: إحداهما تُدعى برابهافَتي (Prabhāvatī)، والأخرى كَلاڤَتي (Kalāvatī)؛ وكلتاهما تلازمانها وتخدمانها على الدوام.

Word by Word

• tasyāḥ: of her
• tasyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• sakhī-dvayam: a pair of friends
• sakhī-dvayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakhī (प्रातिपदिक) + dvaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (sakhyoḥ dvayam)

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु/अस्)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• ekā: one (of them)
• ekā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; संख्यावाचक-शब्दः, यहाँ नामनिर्देशे ‘one (of them)’

• nāmnā: by name
• nāmnā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचनम्; ‘by name’ इत्यर्थे करणविभक्ति

• prabhāvatī: Prabhāvatī
• prabhāvatī: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhāvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; व्यक्तिनाम

• kalāvatī: Kalāvatī
• kalāvatī: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalāvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; व्यक्तिनाम

• tathā: likewise, and
• tathā: Connector/Adverbial (अव्ययार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (likewise/also)

• anyā: the other (one)
• anyā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्; ‘the other (one)’

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय/नित्य-नपुंसक एकवचनं क्रियाविशेषणवत्)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• tad-anuge: following her, attendant on her
• tad-anuge: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + anuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (tasya anuge = following her); विशेषणम् (ubhe इत्यस्य)

• ubhe: both (of them)
• ubhe: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचनम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (context continues)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ratnāvalī is flanked by two constant companions—Prabhāvatī and Kalāvatī—standing slightly behind her in respectful attendance, mirroring her posture and ornamentation.

Characters & Entities

• Ratnāvalī
• Prabhāvatī
• Kalāvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual life is strengthened through steadfast companionship—those who support dharmic resolve help sustain devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) remains the sacred setting of the narrative in this adhyāya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is specified here; the verse establishes the supporting characters who accompany the worship.