Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नप्सरोलोके वसंत्यन्या अपिस्त्रियः । सदा स्खलितलावण्याः सदास्खलितयौवनाः

Transliteration

etasminnapsaroloke vasaṃtyanyā apistriyaḥ | sadā skhalitalāvaṇyāḥ sadāskhalitayauvanāḥ

Translation

In this realm of the Apsarās dwell many other women as well—ever overflowing with beauty, ever brimming with youth.

Word by Word

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अप्सरोलोके: in the world of apsarases
• अप्सरोलोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (world of apsarases)

• वसन्ति: dwell/live
• वसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• अन्याः: other
• अन्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘striyaḥ’)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थे (also/even)

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: always)

• स्खलितलावण्याः: with fading beauty
• स्खलितलावण्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्खलित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √स्खल् धातु, past participle) + लावण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (whose beauty has slipped/waned)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

• स्खलितयौवनाः: with declining youth
• स्खलितयौवनाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्खलित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √स्खल्) + यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (whose youth has slipped/declined)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wide celestial garden-court where countless apsarās move in dance-like poses; their beauty is portrayed as ‘never slipping’—a continuous bloom of youth and luster, with moonlit clouds and lotus ponds.

Characters & Entities

• Apsaroloka
• Apsarāḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It contrasts worldly decay with celestial continuity, indirectly pointing seekers toward the higher aim beyond beauty—liberation through dharma and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site; the verse describes a celestial realm within the broader Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.