Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

संख्या सागररत्नानां कथंचित्कर्तुमिष्यते । मुखवासादिदानस्य कः संख्यामत्र कारयेत्

Transliteration

saṃkhyā sāgararatnānāṃ kathaṃcitkartumiṣyate | mukhavāsādidānasya kaḥ saṃkhyāmatra kārayet

Translation

One might, somehow, attempt to count the jewels in the ocean; but who here could ever compute the measure of merit arising from gifts such as mouth-fragrance and the like, offered in devotion?

Word by Word

• संख्या: the number
• संख्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सागर-रत्नानाम्: of the ocean’s gems
• सागर-रत्नानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर (प्रातिपदिक) + रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सागरस्य रत्नानि)

• कथंचित्: somehow
• कथंचित्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कर्तुम्: to make/do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive)

• इष्यते: is possible/is intended
• इष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (is desired/possible)

• मुखवास-आदि-दानस्य: of the gift of face-cloth etc.
• मुखवास-आदि-दानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुखवास (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मुखवासादीनां दानम्)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• संख्याम्: a number/count
• संख्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• कारयेत्: could make/cause (to be made)
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिजन्त (causative)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī—Viśveśvara-centered dāna context

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poetic tableau: the vast ocean glittering with countless jewels, juxtaposed with a devotee offering simple mouth-fragrance items—implying the latter’s merit surpasses count.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Viśveśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Merit born of devoted giving in Kāśī is beyond human calculation—greater than worldly measures of wealth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, where such offerings are portrayed as producing immeasurable punya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Continuing the prior context: donating items like mukhavāsa (tāmbūla/refreshments) as devotional gifts in the sacred setting.