Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

बहुशोलंबिरोलंब मालामालितभूतलम् । चलच्चंदनशाखाग्र रममाणपि काकुलम्

Transliteration

bahuśolaṃbirolaṃba mālāmālitabhūtalam | calaccaṃdanaśākhāgra ramamāṇapi kākulam

Translation

Le sol était tapissé de guirlandes pendantes en maints festons balancés; et, lorsque les extrémités des branches de santal se mouvaient doucement, le lieu semblait vivant, joyeux et frémissant.

Word by Word

• बहु: many
• बहु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिकम्; समासपूर्वपद (Stem; compound member)

• शोलम्बि: śolambi (a kind of creeper/garland plant)
• शोलम्बि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोलम्बि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिकम्; समासाङ्ग (Stem; compound member)

• उरोलम्ब: hanging with many śolambi (garlands)
• उरोलम्ब: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरोलम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिकम्; बहु-शोलम्बि-उरोलम्ब इति तत्पुरुषः (Stem; tatpuruṣa compound member)

• माला: garland
• माला: Instrument (Karana/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रातिपदिकम्; समासपूर्वपद (Feminine stem; compound member)

• आमालित: covered/garlanded with garlands
• आमालित: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + माल् (धातु) → आमालित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त), प्रातिपदिकम्; माला-आमालित इति तत्पुरुषः (Past participle -kta; tatpuruṣa)

• भूतलम्: the ground (earth-surface) covered with hanging garlands
• भूतलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; (बहु-शोलम्बि-उरोलम्ब)-माला-आमालित-भूतलम् इति समाससमूहः (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; compound chain)

• चलत्: moving, swaying
• चलत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चल् (धातु) → चलत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ), प्रातिपदिकम्; समासपूर्वपद (Present participle; compound member)

• चन्दन: sandalwood
• चन्दन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रातिपदिकम्; समासाङ्ग (Neuter stem; compound member)

• शाखा: branch
• शाखा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रातिपदिकम्; समासाङ्ग (Feminine stem; compound member)

• अग्रम्: tips of swaying sandal branches
• अग्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; चलत्-चन्दन-शाखा-अग्रम् इति तत्पुरुषः (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; tatpuruṣa)

• रममाण: sporting, delighting
• रममाण: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम् (धातु) → रममाण (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शानच्), प्रातिपदिकम्; समासपूर्वपद (Present middle participle; compound member)

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle)

• काकुलम्: confused, bustling/noisy
• काकुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adjective)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-Kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pathway whose earth is strewn with garlands; overhead and around, festoons hang and sway; sandalwood branches move in the breeze; pilgrims and attendants create a gentle, joyful commotion as if preparing for a deity’s procession.

Characters & Entities

• Ānandakānana
• Candana (sandalwood)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred grove is depicted as naturally ‘worshipful’—ornamented and vibrant—mirroring the joy of divine presence in Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ānandakānana/Ānandavana in Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse offers a celebratory visualization useful for devotional contemplation of the kṣetra.