Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 180

Devanagari script

वृद्धकालेश्वरस्यैष प्रासादो रत्ननिर्मितः । प्रतिदर्शं वसेद्यत्र रात्रौ चंद्रः सतारकः

Transliteration

vṛddhakāleśvarasyaiṣa prāsādo ratnanirmitaḥ | pratidarśaṃ vasedyatra rātrau caṃdraḥ satārakaḥ

Translation

Dies ist der aus Juwelen erbaute Tempel des Vṛddhakāleśvara. Hier scheint Nacht um Nacht der Mond—von Sternen geschmückt—zu verweilen, als wohne er in voller Pracht darauf.

Word by Word

• वृद्धकालेश्वरस्य: of Vṛddhakāleśvara
• वृद्धकालेश्वरस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध + काल + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (वृद्धकाले ईश्वरः/वृद्धकालेश्वरः)

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रासादः: palace/temple-building
• प्रासादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• रत्ननिर्मितः: made of jewels
• रत्ननिर्मितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत्न + निर्मित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रत्नैः निर्मितः)

• प्रतिदर्शम्: continually / day by day
• प्रतिदर्शम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रतिदर्शम् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आवृत्तिबोधक अव्यय (adverb: ‘at every sight/each time’, here ‘daily/continually’)

• वसेत्: would dwell / should dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (relative adverb: locative sense)

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• चन्द्रः: the moon
• चन्द्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सतारकः: with stars
• सतारकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तारकैः सह)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vṛddhakāleśvara

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A jewel-like Śiva temple (prāsāda) shimmering under a starry night; the full moon appears poised above the spire as if resting there; devotees gaze upward in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Vṛddhakāleśvara
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa celebrates Kāśī’s Śaiva shrines as cosmic centers—so resplendent that even the moon is poetically said to ‘reside’ there.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The shrine/temple (prāsāda) of Vṛddhakāleśvara in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse serves as a māhātmya-style glorification encouraging darśana (sacred viewing/visit).