Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वादाय रत्नानि वासांसि विविधानि च । धराधरेंद्रो निर्यातः शुभलग्नबलोदये

Transliteration

ityuktvādāya ratnāni vāsāṃsi vividhāni ca | dharādhareṃdro niryātaḥ śubhalagnabalodaye

Translation

Ayant ainsi parlé, le seigneur parmi les porteurs de montagnes prit des joyaux et des vêtements variés, puis se mit en route à une heure propice, lorsque les signes favorables étaient puissants.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Nipāta (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-निपात (quotative particle)

• uktvā: having said
• uktvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √vac (धातु) + ktvā (कृत्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive); 'having said'

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√dā (धातु) + lyap (कृत्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); 'having taken'

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

• vāsāṃsi: garments
• vāsāṃsi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• vividhāni: various
• vividhāni: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (ratnāni/vāsāṃsi)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• dharādhara-indraḥ: lord of mountains
• dharādhara-indraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharādhara (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dharādharāṇām indraḥ)

• niryātaḥ: departed
• niryātaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-√yā (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'gone out/departed'

• śubha-lagna-bala-udaye: at the rise of the strength of the auspicious moment
• śubha-lagna-bala-udaye: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक) + lagna (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + udaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (śubhasya lagnasya balasya udaye)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual) / yātrā-saṅkalpa motif

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The ‘lord among mountain-bearers’ (Himālaya/Parvatarāja) gathers jewels and fine garments, then sets out under auspicious omens—flags, conch, and bright sky at sunrise.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It highlights dharmic action performed with right timing and intention—setting forth with auspiciousness and gifts aligns one’s journey with merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The larger Kāśī-khaṇḍa context is Kāśī’s sacred landscape, though this verse specifically narrates a departure rather than praising a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly supports dāna (giving) and observing śubha-lagna (auspicious timing), without detailing a formal rite.