Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

अंगहारैरप्सरोभिः सेव्यमानमनेकधा । नीराज्यमानं सततं नागीभिर्मणिदीपकैः

Transliteration

aṃgahārairapsarobhiḥ sevyamānamanekadhā | nīrājyamānaṃ satataṃ nāgībhirmaṇidīpakaiḥ

Translation

Auf vielerlei Weise wurde es von den Apsaras durch anmutige Tanzbewegungen bedient, und fortwährend von den Nāgīs mit schwingenden Lichtern verehrt, mit lampen gleich Juwelen.

Word by Word

• अङ्गहारैः: by/with dance-movements
• अङ्गहारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• अप्सरोभिः: by the apsarases
• अप्सरोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• सेव्यमानम्: being attended/served
• सेव्यमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि वर्तमानकृदन्त (present passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अनेकधा: in many ways
• अनेकधा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• नीराज्यमानम्: being waved (with lights)/being honored
• नीराज्यमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीराज् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि वर्तमानकृदन्त (present passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• सततम्: constantly
• सततम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• नागीभिः: by nāgīs (serpent-women)
• नागीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• मणिदीपकैः: with jewel-lamps
• मणिदीपकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि (प्रातिपदिक) + दीपक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मणीनां दीपकाः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages of Naimiṣāraṇya (frame typical)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant Śiva-liṅga in Kāśī is attended by Nāgīs holding jewel-lamps for continuous nīrājana while Apsarases perform graceful aṅgahāras around the sanctum; the atmosphere is luminous, ceremonial, and otherworldly.

Characters & Entities

• Apsaras
• Nāgī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worship is wholehearted honor—offered continuously, beautifully, and with devotion (bhakti), as symbolized by dance and ārati.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s celebration of Śiva’s sacred presence and worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nīrājana/ārati—waving lamps (dīpa) as a form of reverential worship.