Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

अशोका च विशोका च यथा मलयगंधिनी । यथा चंदननिःश्वासा यथा मृगमदोत्तमा

Transliteration

aśokā ca viśokā ca yathā malayagaṃdhinī | yathā caṃdananiḥśvāsā yathā mṛgamadottamā

Translation

সিও অশোকা হওক—শোকহীন—আৰু বিশোকা হওক—শোক নাশকাৰিণী; মলয়ৰ চন্দন-সুগন্ধৰ দৰে সুবাসিতা; চন্দনৰ নিশ্বাসৰ দৰে; আৰু উত্তম মৃগমদৰ দৰে শ্ৰেষ্ঠ হওক।

Word by Word

• अशोका: Aśokā
• अशोका: Upapada (Apposition/उपपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशोका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• विशोका: Viśokā
• विशोका: Upapada (Apposition/उपपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशोका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक

• मलयगंधिनी: fragrant like Malaya
• मलयगंधिनी: Upapada (Apposition/उपपद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मलय + गन्धिनी (गन्धिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः मलयस्य गन्धः अस्याः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक

• चंदननिःश्वासा: sandalwood-breath
• चंदननिःश्वासा: Upapada (Apposition/उपपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन + निःश्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः चन्दनस्य निःश्वासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक

• मृगमदोत्तमा: the excellent musk
• मृगमदोत्तमा: Upapada (Apposition/उपपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगमद + उत्तमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः मृगमदः एव उत्तमा (कर्मधारय)

Speaker

Śrī Devī (Pārvatī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Īśvara (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī invokes ‘Aśokā’ and ‘Viśokā’—a serene figure surrounded by sandal fragrance, camphor light, and musk; the imagery is cooling, grief-dispelling, and pure.

Characters & Entities

• Aśokā
• Viśokā
• Candana (sandalwood)
• Mṛgamada (musk)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The ideal sacred companion embodies freedom from sorrow and becomes a source of consolation—virtues are portrayed as healing fragrance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within Kāśī’s sacred narrative framework but does not name a particular tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this line.