Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

आनंदकाननस्येह महिमानं महत्तरम् । कोत्र वर्णयितुं शक्तः सूत वर्षशतैरपि

Transliteration

ānaṃdakānanasyeha mahimānaṃ mahattaram | kotra varṇayituṃ śaktaḥ sūta varṣaśatairapi

Translation

Hier ist die Größe von Ānandakānana überaus weit und erhaben. Wer, o Sūta, vermöchte sie zu schildern, selbst über Hunderte von Jahren hinweg?

Word by Word

• आनन्दकाननस्य: of the Bliss-grove (Ānandakānana)
• आनन्दकाननस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्दकानन (प्रातिपदिक: आनन्द + कानन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (‘आनन्दस्य काननम्’)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• महिमानम्: greatness
• महिमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महत्तरम्: greater
• महत्तरम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative), विशेषण (महिमानम्)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• उत्र: there/therein
• उत्र: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (there/therein)

• वर्णयितुम्: to describe
• वर्णयितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्णय् (धातु; √वर्ण् causative) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त infinitive (भावे/कर्तरि), प्रयोजनार्थ

• शक्तः: able
• शक्तः: Visheshana (of कः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शक् + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सूत: O Sūta
• सूत: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वर्षशतैः: by hundreds of years
• वर्षशतैः: Adhikarana (Time span/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्षशत (प्रातिपदिक: वर्ष + शत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (‘शतं वर्षाणि’)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात, अपि-भाव (even)

Speaker

Vyāsa (addressing Sūta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandakānana

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast sacred grove of Kāśī—Ānandakānana—filled with flowering trees, ascetics, and subtle divine presence, conveying immeasurable sanctity beyond narration.

Characters & Entities

• Ānandakānana
• Sūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred landscape of Kāśī is portrayed as inexhaustible in merit and meaning—beyond complete human description.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ānandakānana, a celebrated sacred zone/forest associated with Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated; the verse functions as a sweeping praise (māhātmya) of the sacred place.