Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

रत्नाकरेषु रत्नानि न तावंति महामुने । यावंति संति विश्वेशनिर्माल्योपभुजां गृहे

Transliteration

ratnākareṣu ratnāni na tāvaṃti mahāmune | yāvaṃti saṃti viśveśanirmālyopabhujāṃ gṛhe

Translation

O großer Weiser, die Edelsteine in den Ozeanen sind nicht so zahlreich wie die Schätze in den Häusern jener in Kāśī, die das nirmālya — die heiligen Überreste — des Herrn Viśveśa empfangen.

Word by Word

• रत्नाकरेषु: in the oceans/mines of jewels
• रत्नाकरेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्नाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रत्नानाम् आकरः)

• रत्नानि: jewels
• रत्नानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• तावन्ति: so many
• तावन्ति: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; परिमाणवाचक (so many)

• महामुने: O great sage
• महामुने: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (महान् मुनिः)

• यावन्ति: as many as
• यावन्ति: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; यावत्-तावत् सम्बन्ध (as many as)

• सन्ति: are
• सन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• विश्वेशनिर्माल्योपभुजाम्: of those who partake of Viśveśa’s offerings/garlands
• विश्वेशनिर्माल्योपभुजाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेश + निर्माल्य + उपभुज् (प्रातिपदिक; उपभुज् = उप + भुज् धातोः कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (विश्वेशस्य निर्माल्यं उपभुञ्जते ये)

• गृहे: in (their) house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśveśvara (Kāśī Viśvanātha) kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages / addressed 'mahāmune' within the dialogue

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a Kāśī household, devotees receive Viśveśa’s nirmālya/prasāda with folded hands; the home appears filled with jewel-like radiance, suggesting abundance born of devotion rather than commerce.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Viśveśa (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence for Viśveśa’s sacred remnants (nirmālya) is portrayed as a powerful source of prosperity and merit in Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), centered on the worship of Lord Viśveśvara (Viśveśa).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Partaking/accepting Viśveśa’s nirmālya—honoring temple remnants as sacred prasad-like blessings.