Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

महेंद्रमुख्या गीर्वाणा नागाः पातालवासिनः । रत्नान्यादाय बहुशः ससरित्का महाब्धयः

Transliteration

maheṃdramukhyā gīrvāṇā nāgāḥ pātālavāsinaḥ | ratnānyādāya bahuśaḥ sasaritkā mahābdhayaḥ

Translation

Les dieux menés par Mahendra (Indra) vinrent; vinrent aussi les Nāgas demeurant en Pātāla. Même les grands océans arrivèrent, avec leurs rivières, apportant maintes sortes de joyaux, encore et encore, en offrande.

Word by Word

• महेन्द्र-मुख्याः: with Indra as chief
• महेन्द्र-मुख्याः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महेन्द्रः मुख्यः येषाम् = having Mahendra as chief)

• गीर्वाणाः: the gods (devas)
• गीर्वाणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीर्वाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• नागाः: Nāgas (serpent beings)
• नागाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• पाताल-वासिनः: dwelling in Pātāla
• पाताल-वासिनः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाताल (प्रातिपदिक) + वासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (पाताले वसन्ति)

• रत्नानि: gems
• रत्नानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + √दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• बहुशः: many times / in abundance
• बहुशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• स-सरित्काः: together with rivers
• स-सरित्काः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय) + सरित् (प्रातिपदिक) + क (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सहार्थक-समास/उपपद (सरित्-युक्ताः = with rivers)

• महा-अब्धयः: the great oceans
• महा-अब्धयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + अब्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (महान्तः अब्धयः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Gaṅgā-tīra implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra and the devas arrive; Nāgas from Pātāla emerge; the great oceans appear with their rivers, repeatedly bringing jewels as offerings to the sacred festival in Kāśī.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Mahendra)
• Devas (Gīrvāṇas)
• Nāgas
• Pātāla
• Oceans (Mahābdhi)
• Rivers (Sarit)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True sacredness draws the whole cosmos toward dharma—devas, nāgas, and even oceans symbolically offer their wealth in honor of the holy realm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) as the setting of a grand, cosmic celebration described in Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the verse highlights offering (upahāra) symbolism through jewels brought to the sacred occasion.