Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

निवीतश्वापदगणं ससरित्पल्वलावृतम् । स्वच्छ गंभीरकासारं सारं सर्वभुवः परम्

Transliteration

nivītaśvāpadagaṇaṃ sasaritpalvalāvṛtam | svaccha gaṃbhīrakāsāraṃ sāraṃ sarvabhuvaḥ param

Translation

Es war frei von Rudeln wilder Tiere, umgeben von Flüssen und Lotosteichen, mit klaren und tiefen Seen—eine erlesene und höchste Zuflucht unter allen Gegenden der Erde.

Word by Word

• nivīta-śvāpadagaṇam: (forest) with wild beasts restrained/kept away
• nivīta-śvāpadagaṇam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nivīta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-विशेषण) + śvāpadagaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (nivītaḥ śvāpadagaṇaḥ yasmin = where the wild-beast groups are kept away/checked)

• sa-sarit-palvala-āvṛtam: surrounded with rivers and ponds
• sa-sarit-palvala-āvṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह-अर्थे अव्यय) + sarit (प्रातिपदिक) + palvala (प्रातिपदिक) + āvṛta (√vṛ, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समास (saha sarid-palvalaiḥ = together with rivers and ponds), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (covered/surrounded)

• svaccham: clear
• svaccham: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svaccha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• gaṃbhīra-kāsāram: a deep lake
• gaṃbhīra-kāsāram: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṃbhīra (प्रातिपदिक) + kāsāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (gaṃbhīraḥ kāsāraḥ = deep lake)

• sāram: excellent
• sāram: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāra (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (excellent/choice)

• sarva-bhuvaḥ: of all worlds/lands
• sarva-bhuvaḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuva (भुव्/भू-सम्बद्ध प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (sarvāsāṃ bhuvām = of all worlds/regions)

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Vyāsa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Skandavana (its saras/kaṣāra and surrounding waters)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene sanctuary: no threatening beasts; rivers encircle the forest; lotus ponds gleam; clear deep lakes mirror the sky—presented as the ‘essence’ of all lands.

Characters & Entities

• Skandavana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred geography is marked by auspiciousness—purity, safety, and sanctifying waters that support spiritual practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Skandavana and its surrounding tīrtha-like waters (rivers and ponds).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the emphasis is on the sanctity of the place and its waters.