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Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

वरं हि तत्काशिरजोति पावनं रजस्तमोध्वंसि शशिप्रभोज्ज्वलम् । कृतप्रणामैर्मणिकर्णिका भुवे ललाटगंयद्बहुमन्यते सुरैः

Transliteration

varaṃ hi tatkāśirajoti pāvanaṃ rajastamodhvaṃsi śaśiprabhojjvalam | kṛtapraṇāmairmaṇikarṇikā bhuve lalāṭagaṃyadbahumanyate suraiḥ

Translation

Blessed indeed is the dust of Kāśī—supremely purifying, destroying rajas and tamas, radiant like moonlight. At Maṇikarṇikā on earth, that dust which, through prostrations, rises to the forehead is highly revered even by the gods.

Word by Word
वरम्better
वरम्:
Sambandha (Predicate particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग-एकवचन-द्वितीया रूपेण निपातवत् (better)
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (indeed)
तत्that
तत्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (demonstrative)
काशिरजःthe dust of Kāśī
काशिरजः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकाशी (प्रातिपदिक) + रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; समासः—काश्याः रजः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formउक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative marker)
पावनम्purifying
पावनम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपावन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with काशिरजः)
रजस्तमोध्वंसिdestroying rajas and tamas
रजस्तमोध्वंसि:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootरजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + तमस् (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वंसिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—रजस्तमसोः ध्वंसि (द्वन्द्व-षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/बहुपद)
शशिप्रभोज्ज्वलम्bright with moonlight
शशिप्रभोज्ज्वलम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootशशि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—शशेः प्रभया उज्ज्वलम् (तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)
कृतप्रणामैःby those who have bowed
कृतप्रणामैः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootकृत (कृ-धातु, क्त) + प्रणाम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—प्रणामाः कृताः येन/यैः (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष)
मणिकर्णिकाMaṇikarṇikā
मणिकर्णिका:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमणि (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; समासः—मणिरिव कर्णिका/मणिमयी कर्णिका (कर्मधारय)
भुवेfor the earth/world
भुवे:
Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootभू (प्रातिपदिक: भुवि/भूः)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन
ललाटगम्gone to the forehead
ललाटगम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootललाट (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (गम्-धातु, क्त/प्रत्ययान्त: ‘gone/placed’)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—ललाटं गतम् (द्वितीया-तत्पुरुष)
यत्which
यत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (relative pronoun: which)
बहुमन्यतेis highly esteemed
बहुमन्यते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootबहु + मन् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
सुरैःby the gods
सुरैः:
Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootसुर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन
Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Maṇikarṇikā ghāṭa, a devotee performs full prostration; luminous dust rises and touches the forehead, depicted as moon-bright, while devas in the sky look on with reverence; the Ganga flows beside the steps.

Characters & Entities
K
Kāśī
M
Maṇikarṇikā
D
Devas (Suras)
R
Rajas
T
Tamas

FAQs

Even seemingly small contact—Kāśī’s dust—becomes a powerful purifier, symbolizing humility and grace in a sacred kṣetra.

Maṇikarṇikā in Kāśī, famed as an exceptionally sanctifying spot.

Praṇāma (prostration) at Maṇikarṇikā is implied, where the Kāśī-dust touches one’s forehead.

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