Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

न समा शीलसंपत्त्या तस्या काचन भूतले । कलाकलापकुशला स्वरेणजितकोकिला

Transliteration

na samā śīlasaṃpattyā tasyā kācana bhūtale | kalākalāpakuśalā svareṇajitakokilā

Translation

Sur toute la terre, nulle femme ne l’égalait par la richesse de ses vertus. Habile en l’ensemble des arts, par la douceur de sa voix elle surpassait même le kokila.

Word by Word

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

• समा: equal
• समा: Karta-predicate (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• शीलसंपत्त्या: by/with excellence of character
• शीलसंपत्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शील + संपत्ति (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भाव (instrumental: in respect of)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• काचन्: any (woman)
• काचन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काचित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• भूतले: on the earth
• भूतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• कलाकलापकुशला: skilled in many arts
• कलाकलापकुशला: Karta-predicate (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कला + कलाप + कुशल (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (skilled in a collection of arts)

• स्वरेण: by (her) voice
• स्वरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (instrumental)

• जितकोकिला: surpassing the cuckoo
• जितकोकिला: Karta-predicate (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित + कोकिला (प्रातिपदिके; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (having surpassed the cuckoo)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The daughter is depicted singing or reciting with veena/tanpura nearby; her demeanor is modest, eyes lowered, surrounded by women listening in awe; Kāśī’s temple bells and river breeze implied.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True excellence is measured not only by external charm but by śīla (virtue) and cultivated qualities aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī as a kṣetra where dharmic refinement and exemplary lives are celebrated in sacred narration.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse continues a laudatory description within the story.