Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

वाराणस्यां विशालाक्षी पूजनीया प्रयत्नतः । धूपदीपैः शुभैर्माल्यैरुपहारैर्मनोहरैः

Transliteration

vārāṇasyāṃ viśālākṣī pūjanīyā prayatnataḥ | dhūpadīpaiḥ śubhairmālyairupahārairmanoharaiḥ

Translation

In Vārāṇasī soll die Göttin Viśālākṣī mit ernsthaftem Bemühen verehrt werden—mit glückverheißendem Räucherwerk und Lichtern, mit Girlanden und anmutigen Gaben.

Word by Word

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• विशालाक्षी: Viśālākṣī (the wide-eyed goddess)
• विशालाक्षी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाल (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षी/अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः (she who has large eyes)

• पूजनीया: should be worshipped
• पूजनीया: Karta (Predicate adjective with subject/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूजनीय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, अनीयर्/णीयत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम् (worthy to be worshipped/should be worshipped)

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort, diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्तम् (ablatival adverb)

• धूपदीपैः: with incense and lamps
• धूपदीपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक) + दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• शुभैः: auspicious
• शुभैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (धूपदीपैः इत्यादीनाम्)

• माल्यैः: with garlands
• माल्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• उपहारैः: with offerings
• उपहारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• मनोहरैः: charming, delightful
• मनोहरैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (उपहारैः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśālākṣī Mahāpīṭha (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a Kāśī shrine: Viśālākṣī’s icon adorned; priests wave lamps; incense smoke curls; devotees present garlands and offerings with focused reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Vārāṇasī
• Viśālākṣī
• Dhūpa
• Dīpa
• Mālya
• Upahāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa emphasizes devoted, careful worship—outer offerings expressing inner reverence to the presiding Śakti of Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vārāṇasī (Kāśī), specifically the sphere of Viśālākṣī’s worship (Viśālākṣī-pīṭha/temple tradition).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā with dhūpa (incense), dīpa (lamps), mālya (garlands), and pleasing upahāra (offerings).