Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

रत्नकुट्टिमभूभागा गोपुराग्रेषु रेजिरे । सुधोज्ज्वला हर्म्यमालाः सौधनामप्रपेदिरे

Transliteration

ratnakuṭṭimabhūbhāgā gopurāgreṣu rejire | sudhojjvalā harmyamālāḥ saudhanāmaprapedire

Translation

Gem-inlaid mosaic pavements gleamed upon the heights of the gateway-towers; and rows of mansions, dazzling with white plaster, truly merited the name of palatial edifices.

Word by Word

• रत्न-कुट्टिम-भू-भागाः: gem-paved ground-areas
• रत्न-कुट्टिम-भू-भागाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + कुट्टिम (प्रातिपदिक) + भू (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; रत्नकुट्टिमभूभाग = रत्नैः कुट्टिमः भूभागः (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; ground-areas paved with gems)

• गोपुर-अग्रेषु: on the gateway-tops
• गोपुर-अग्रेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपुर (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; गोपुराग्र = गोपुरस्य अग्रे (Neuter, Locative, Plural; at the tops/fronts of gateways)

• रेजिरे: shone; glittered
• रेजिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (Liṭ, 3rd person, plural; Ātmanepada)

• सुधा-उज्ज्वलाः: bright with white plaster
• सुधा-उज्ज्वलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुधा (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण; सुधोज्ज्वल = सुधया उज्ज्वलः (Feminine, Nominative, Plural; bright with lime/plaster)

• हर्म्य-मालाः: rows/garlands of mansions
• हर्म्य-मालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्म्य (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Plural)

• सौध-नाम: the name ‘Saudha’
• सौध-नाम: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौध (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सौधनाम = सौध इति नाम (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; the name ‘Saudha’)

• प्रपेदिरे: attained; came to be called
• प्रपेदिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (Liṭ, 3rd person, plural; Ātmanepada)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī sacred precincts (gopura/maṇḍapa zone)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gopura summits gleam above gem-inlaid mosaic floors; long rows of white-plastered mansions shine like true palaces, turning the sacred quarter into a luminous cityscape.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• gopura (gateway-tower)
• Muktimaṇḍapa (festival setting implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When the holy city is honored, even its built space becomes an offering—architecture itself reflects sacred merit and divine presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), described in the context of the Muktimaṇḍapa festivities and its resplendent precincts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the emphasis is on sacred beautification (śobhana/alaṅkāra) accompanying worship and festival.