Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

कलशेन विचित्रेण ह्युपरिष्टाद्विराजितम् । सहस्रयोजनायामं सर्वरत्नमयं शुभम्

Transliteration

kalaśena vicitreṇa hyupariṣṭādvirājitam | sahasrayojanāyāmaṃ sarvaratnamayaṃ śubham

Translation

Il resplendissait au sommet, couronné d’un merveilleux kalaśa. De bon augure, vaste comme s’il s’étendait sur mille yojanas, il était entièrement composé de toutes sortes de joyaux.

Word by Word

• कलशेन: with a finial/pot (kalaśa)
• कलशेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• विचित्रेण: variegated, ornate
• विचित्रेण: Visheshaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying kalaśena)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• उपरिष्टात्: above, on top
• उपरिष्टात्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरिष्टात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb: 'above/on top')

• विराजितम्: shining, resplendent
• विराजितम्: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-राज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'shining/adorning'

• सहस्र: thousand
• सहस्र: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; संख्यावाचक; पूर्वपद (in compound)

• योजन: yojana (measure)
• योजन: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पूर्वपद (in compound)

• आयामम्: length, extent
• आयामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासान्त-रूपेण (in compound)

• सर्व: all
• सर्व: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पूर्वपद (in compound)

• रत्न: jewel
• रत्न: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पूर्वपद (in compound)

• मयम्: made of
• मयम्: Visheshaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (made of)

• शुभम्: auspicious, splendid
• शुभम्: Visheshaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The umbrella’s top bears a brilliant kalaśa finial; the canopy seems endlessly extended, shimmering with every gemstone—ruby, emerald, sapphire—casting prismatic light over the assembled devas and the seated Hari.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇas use grandeur to communicate divine majesty—devotion expands the heart beyond ordinary measures.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred setting; its māhātmya often expresses holiness through resplendent ritual imagery.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse describes auspicious ritual ornamentation (kalaśa finial, jewel-work), not a mandatory prescription.