Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

अंतःपुरचरा एतां नयंत्वंतःपुरं महत् । अनया सदलं कृत्या मम राष्ट्रमलंकृतम्

Transliteration

aṃtaḥpuracarā etāṃ nayaṃtvaṃtaḥpuraṃ mahat | anayā sadalaṃ kṛtyā mama rāṣṭramalaṃkṛtam

Translation

„Die Frauen des inneren Palastes sollen sie in die großen Gemächer des Inneren führen. Durch sie—mitsamt ihren Gefährtinnen und Diensten—ist mein Reich geschmückt worden.“

Word by Word

• अन्तःपुरचराः: (you) inner-palace attendants
• अन्तःपुरचराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःपुर (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘those who move in the inner palace’

• एताम्: this (woman)
• एताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• नयन्तु: let (them) lead
• नयन्तु: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘let them lead’

• अन्तःपुरम्: to the inner palace
• अन्तःपुरम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गन्तव्य-स्थान (goal)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying antaḥpuram)

• अनया: by this (woman)
• अनया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सदलम्: together with its forces
• सदलम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘with its troops/with its parts’ (sa-dala)

• कृत्या: by (her) act
• कृत्या: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive noun) ‘deed/act’ (instrumental of means)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• राष्ट्रम्: kingdom
• राष्ट्रम्: Karma/Subject in passive (कर्म/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अलंकृतम्: has been adorned
• अलंकृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अलम्-√कृ (धातु) → अलंकृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि ‘has been adorned’

Speaker

Daitya king (unnamed in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ceremonial entry: palace women (antahpura-carāḥ) escort a richly adorned lady into the grand inner chambers; attendants carry lamps, fans, and trays; the kingdom is symbolically ‘adorned’ by her presence.

Characters & Entities

• Antaḥpura (royal inner apartments)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attachment to display and possession is portrayed as a worldly ornament; Purāṇas often contrast such adornment with true spiritual merit gained by Dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified in this verse; it is part of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.