Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

गंधवत्यलकापुर्योरीशयोस्तु समुद्भवः । चंद्रलोकपरिप्राप्तिः शिवशर्मद्विजन्मनः

Transliteration

gaṃdhavatyalakāpuryorīśayostu samudbhavaḥ | caṃdralokapariprāptiḥ śivaśarmadvijanmanaḥ

Translation

Dann wird der Ursprung der Herren von Gandhavatī und Alakāpurī geschildert; und das vollkommene Erlangen der Mondwelt durch den Zweimalgeborenen Śivaśarman.

Word by Word

• गन्धवती: of Gandhavatī
• गन्धवती: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘पुरी’ इत्यस्य विशेषण-नाम (city named Gandhavatī)

• अलकापुर्योः: of (the city) Alakā
• अलकापुर्योः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलका + पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; कर्मधारय (अलका-नाम्नी पुरी)

• ईशयोः: of the two lords
• ईशयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन

• तु: indeed; and
• तु: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषबोधक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• समुद्भवः: origin; arising
• समुद्भवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + उद् + भू (धातु) → समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• चन्द्रलोकपरिप्राप्तिः: attainment of the Moon-world
• चन्द्रलोकपरिप्राप्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र + लोक + परि + प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चन्द्रस्य लोकस्य परिप्राप्तिः)

• शिवशर्मद्विजन्मनः: of Śivaśarman, the twice-born
• शिवशर्मद्विजन्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवशर्मन् + द्विजन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवशर्मणः द्विजन्मा)

Speaker

Sūta — inferred (index continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Alakāpurī (mythic) / Gandhavatī (mythic)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi audience (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Twin mythic cities appear as jeweled citadels—Gandhavatī perfumed with flowering groves, Alakā glittering with Himalayan splendor—while Śivaśarman ascends on a moonbeam to Candraloka, serene and silver.

Characters & Entities

• Gandhavatī
• Alakāpurī
• Śivaśarman
• Candraloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa presents spiritual progression as both terrestrial (cities and rulers) and celestial (Candraloka), showing dharma’s reach across worlds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Named places (Gandhavatī, Alakāpurī) appear as part of the indexed narrative; the broader glorification remains tied to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa arc.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated in this verse.