Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

तैः सुराः पूजिताः सर्वे ब्रह्मविष्णुमुखा मखैः । यैः स्वर्णकुसुमैरत्नैरर्चिता मणिकर्णिका

Transliteration

taiḥ surāḥ pūjitāḥ sarve brahmaviṣṇumukhā makhaiḥ | yaiḥ svarṇakusumairatnairarcitā maṇikarṇikā

Translation

By those who have worshipped Maṇikarṇikā with golden flowers and jewels, all the gods—headed by Brahmā and Viṣṇu—have been worshipped through sacrificial rites.

Word by Word

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचनम्; करणम् (instrumental)

• सुराः: gods
• सुराः: Karma/Patient (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st) बहुवचनम्

• पूजिताः: worshipped
• पूजिताः: Karma/Patient (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) → पूजित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, past passive participle); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st) बहुवचनम्; सुराः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karma/Patient (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st) बहुवचनम्; सुराः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• ब्रह्मविष्णुमुखाः: headed by Brahmā and Viṣṇu
• ब्रह्मविष्णुमुखाः: Karma/Patient (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + विष्णु + मुख (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st) बहुवचनम्; ‘ब्रह्म-विष्णु-आदि-मुखाः’ इति अर्थे (headed by Brahmā and Viṣṇu); सुराः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मखैः: by sacrifices
• मखैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचनम्; करणम् (instrumental)

• यैः: by which
• यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्ध/करणे (refers to मखैः)

• स्वर्णकुसुमैः: with golden flowers
• स्वर्णकुसुमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ण + कुसुम (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचनम्; करणम् (instrumental)

• रत्नैः: with jewels
• रत्नैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचनम्; करणम् (instrumental)

• अर्चिता: worshipped
• अर्चिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) → अर्चित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st) एकवचनम्

• मणिकर्णिका: Maṇikarṇikā
• मणिकर्णिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणिकर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st) एकवचनम्; विशेष्य (qualified by अर्चिता)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue convention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience within Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees offering golden lotuses and jewel-like offerings at the ghāṭa shrine; above, a celestial assembly of Brahmā and Viṣṇu receiving the worship’s essence, indicating yajña-equivalence.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇikarṇikā
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Honoring a supreme sacred locus is depicted as encompassing broad divine worship and sacrificial merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Maṇikarṇikā of Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arcana (worship) with offerings such as flowers (even gold) and jewels; sacrifices (makha) are referenced comparatively.