Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

उदितांबरमार्गोस्रोरगलोकविहारिणी । उक्षोर्वरोत्पलोत्कुंभा उपेंद्रचरणद्रवा

Transliteration

uditāṃbaramārgosroragalokavihāriṇī | ukṣorvarotpalotkuṃbhā upeṃdracaraṇadravā

Translation

Du wanderst auf dem strahlenden Pfad des Himmels und durchziehst die Welten. Du bist überreich wie ein fruchtbares Feld und wie lotuserfüllte Wasser, wie ein überfließender Krug; und du schmilzt in Hingabe zu den Füßen Upendras (Viṣṇu).

Word by Word

• उदित-अम्बर-मार्ग: having a path in the risen sky / sky-path
• उदित-अम्बर-मार्ग: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदित (कृदन्त; √उद्, क्त) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिकाधारित समास; (समस्तपदं) विशेषणरूपेण प्रयुक्तम्; अव्यक्त-लिङ्ग (as prior member in larger compound)

• उस्-र-उरग-लोक-विहारिणी: sporting in the world of serpents (uraga-loka)
• उस्-र-उरग-लोक-विहारिणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उस्/उषस् (प्रातिपदिक) + र (प्रातिपदिक) + उरग (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + विहारिणी (कृदन्त; √हृ/विहृ, णिनि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः; णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त

• उक्ष-उर्वर-उत्पल-उत्कुम्भा: (associated with) bull, fertile land, lotus, and the raised pot (kumbha)
• उक्ष-उर्वर-उत्पल-उत्कुम्भा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + उर्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्पल (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्कुम्भा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व/समाहार-प्रायः (enumerative epithet)

• उपेन्द्र-चरण-द्रवा: melting/softened at Upendra’s feet (devoted)
• उपेन्द्र-चरण-द्रवा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (with Upendra-bhakti inflection)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous divine feminine/kshetra-power traverses a radiant sky-road above the worlds; below, lotus ponds and overflowing kalasha symbolize abundance; at the center, Upendra’s feet are worshipped, with the deity’s heart visibly softened in devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Upendra (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine greatness is shown as both cosmic (pervading worlds) and intimate (devotion at the Lord’s feet).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s praise of Kāśī, presenting it as a kṣetra of abundance and devotion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse communicates bhakti (devotional melting) rather than a named rite.