Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

पुरेह नर्तकी काचिदासीन्नाट्यार्थकोविदा । सैकदा फाल्गुने मासि शिवरात्र्यां कलावती

Transliteration

pureha nartakī kācidāsīnnāṭyārthakovidā | saikadā phālgune māsi śivarātryāṃ kalāvatī

Translation

Dans cette cité vivait jadis une danseuse, experte dans les arts du spectacle. Un jour, au mois de Phālguna, la nuit de Śivarātri, elle—nommée Kalāvatī—s’y trouvait.

Word by Word

• pure: in a city
• pure: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन (singular)

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• nartakī: a dancer
• nartakī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nartakī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular)

• kācid: some (a certain)
• kācid: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular); अनिश्चितवाचक सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• nāṭya-artha-kovidā: skilled in the meaning/purpose of drama
• nāṭya-artha-kovidā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāṭya + artha + kovida (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (nāṭyasyārthe kovidā)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular); सर्वनाम

• ekadā: once
• ekadā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ekadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• phālgune: in (the month of) Phālguna
• phālgune: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phālguna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन (singular)

• māsi: in the month
• māsi: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन (singular)

• śivarātryām: on Śivarātri night
• śivarātryām: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva-rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (śivasya rātriḥ)

• kalāvatī: Kalāvatī
• kalāvatī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalāvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (singular); व्यक्तिनाम (proper name)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (context for Ratneśa story)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A skilled dancer (Kalāvatī) in Kāśī prepares for a night performance on Śivarātri in Phālguna; lamps flicker, temple silhouettes loom, and the city’s sacred atmosphere surrounds her artistry.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (the city; implied by context)
• Śivarātri
• Phālguna
• Kalāvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic māhātmyas often teach that sacred times like Śivarātri, especially in Kāśī, become turning points for spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Avimukta) as the narrative setting, within the Ratneśvara-centered chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śivarātri is introduced as the sacred occasion; detailed observances follow in subsequent verses.