Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

देवालय सुधाकार्यैर्जीर्णोद्धारैरनेकधा । चित्रलेखनमूल्यैश्च रंगमालादिमंडनैः

Transliteration

devālaya sudhākāryairjīrṇoddhārairanekadhā | citralekhanamūlyaiśca raṃgamālādimaṃḍanaiḥ

Translation

Through plastering and repair-works of temples, through restoration of what has become dilapidated in many ways; through paying for sacred paintings, and through decorations such as colored garlands and the like—(one serves the holy shrines of Kāśī).

Word by Word

• देवालय: temple (abode of the deity)
• देवालय: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवालय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative/Accusative, Singular); देवस्य आलयः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• सुधाकार्यैः: by plastering/repair works
• सुधाकार्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधा-कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural); सुधायाः कार्याणि इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• जीर्णोद्धारैः: by renovations/restorations (of what is worn out)
• जीर्णोद्धारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीर्ण-उद्धार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural); जीर्णस्य उद्धारः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• अनेकधा: in many ways
• अनेकधा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनेकधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (Indeclinable adverb of manner)

• चित्रलेखनमूल्यैः: by the costs/fees for painting and drawing
• चित्रलेखनमूल्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र-लेखन-मूल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural); चित्रस्य लेखनस्य मूल्यं इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (nested)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक निपात (Conjunction)

• रंगमालादिमंडनैः: by decorations such as garlands/colored garlands, etc.
• रंगमालादिमंडनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रंग-माला-आदि-मण्डन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural); रंगमालादिभिः मण्डनानि इति तत्पुरुष (आदि-समासान्त)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Artisans and devotees restore an ancient Kāśī shrine: fresh lime-plaster on walls, scaffolding, painters filling panels with sacred motifs, and devotees hanging multicolored garlands at the entrance while priests supervise.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• devālaya (temple)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Maintaining and beautifying temples—repair, restoration, sacred art, and adornment—is treated as meritorious service to the divine presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s temples (devālayas) as the focal sacred geography of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Jīrṇoddhāra (renovation), sudhā-kārya (plastering), commissioning paintings, and temple decoration as devotional acts.