Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

धारासारा सुवर्षासु महावातवतीष्वलम् । शिलासु सावकाशासु सा बह्वीरनयन्निशाः

Transliteration

dhārāsārā suvarṣāsu mahāvātavatīṣvalam | śilāsu sāvakāśāsu sā bahvīranayanniśāḥ

Translation

In downpours that fell in streaming sheets, amid storms lashed by fierce winds, she spent many nights upon bare rocks, exposed beneath the open sky.

Word by Word

• धारा-साराः: torrential (stream-like)
• धारा-साराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धारा (प्रातिपदिक) + सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (धारारूपाः साराः)

• सु-वर्षासु: in heavy rains
• सु-वर्षासु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + वर्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘सु’ उपसर्गार्थकं (intensifier)

• महा-वात-वतीषु: amid (times) with great winds
• महा-वात-वतीषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + वात (प्रातिपदिक) + वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (महान् वातः यस्याः/यत्र)

• अलम्: indeed / greatly
• अलम्: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: पर्याप्त्यर्थक/निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (particle: enough/indeed)

• शिलासु: on rocks
• शिलासु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स-अवकाशासु: with some shelter/space
• स-अवकाशासु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (सह/सम्-भावार्थ) + अवकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अवकाशः अस्ति यासु)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बह्वीः: many
• बह्वीः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अनयत्: spent / led
• अनयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• निशाः: nights
• निशाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (tapo-vana)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stormy night: sheets of rain and fierce winds lash an exposed rocky outcrop; the maiden remains on bare stone under open sky, spending many nights in unwavering austerity.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Kṣetra)
• tapo-vana (implied ascetic grove)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Endurance of hardship for dharma is a hallmark of tapas, especially when pursued with single-minded devotion in a sacred region.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is the Kāśī sacred region, with an implied tapovana (austere grove) within its sanctified landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual is specified; the verse depicts environmental hardships accepted as part of ascetic discipline.