Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

संति द्वीपा ह्यनेका वै पारावारांतरस्थिताः । जंबूद्वीपसमो द्वीपो न क्वापि जगतीतले

Transliteration

saṃti dvīpā hyanekā vai pārāvārāṃtarasthitāḥ | jaṃbūdvīpasamo dvīpo na kvāpi jagatītale

Translation

Il existe certes de nombreuses îles (continents), établies dans l’immense étendue entre les rives lointaines de l’océan cosmique ; pourtant, sur la surface du monde, nulle île n’égale Jambūdvīpa.

Word by Word

• सन्ति: are/exist
• सन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• द्वीपाः: islands/continents
• द्वीपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• अनेकाः: many
• अनेकाः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjective) द्वीपाः इति विशेष्यस्य

• वै: indeed/truly
• वै: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/assurance)

• पारावार-अन्तर-स्थिताः: situated between the far and near shores (in the oceanic expanse)
• पारावार-अन्तर-स्थिताः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार (प्रातिपदिक) + अवार (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (स्था धातोः क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘स्थित’; समासः—(पारावारयोः) अन्तरम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः, तस्मिन् स्थिताः इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थः; विशेषण (adjective) द्वीपाः इति

• जम्बूद्वीप-समः: equal to Jambūdvīpa
• जम्बूद्वीप-समः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जम्बूद्वीप (प्रातिपदिक; जम्बू + द्वीप) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); उपमान-सम्बन्धे षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जम्बूद्वीपस्य समः)

• द्वीपः: an island/continent
• द्वीपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• क्वापि: anywhere
• क्वापि: Adverbial (देश/स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-समुच्चय (indefinite adverb: ‘anywhere’); क्व = प्रश्न/स्थान-अव्यय, अपि = अनिश्चितार्थ-निपात

• जगती-तले: on the surface of the earth/world
• जगती-तले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगती (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जगत्याः तलम्)

Speaker

Skanda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis of Naimiṣāraṇya (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Purāṇic map-like vision: concentric oceans and multiple dvīpas, with Jambūdvīpa highlighted as incomparable, rendered as a luminous central landmass amid cosmic waters.

Characters & Entities

• Jambūdvīpa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Among all realms described in Purāṇic geography, the human-accessible world (centered on Jambūdvīpa) is uniquely significant for dharma and spiritual striving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it sets the cosmological frame that will lead into the praise of Bhārata-varṣa and later Prayāga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, establishing the exceptional status of Jambūdvīpa.