Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

इत्थं नियमवत्यासीत्सा गंधर्वसुतोत्तमा । ताभिः सखीभिः सहिता नित्यं लिंगं च पश्यति

Transliteration

itthaṃ niyamavatyāsītsā gaṃdharvasutottamā | tābhiḥ sakhībhiḥ sahitā nityaṃ liṃgaṃ ca paśyati

Translation

Ainsi, la plus noble des filles des Gandharvas demeura ferme dans sa discipline; entourée de ses amies, elle contemplait chaque jour le Liṅga sacré.

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — प्रकारवाचक (thus; in this manner)

• नियमवती: vow-observing
• नियमवती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — Nominative singular; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Imperfect, 3rd person singular

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• गन्धर्वसुतोत्तमा: the excellent daughter of a Gandharva
• गन्धर्वसुतोत्तमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — Nominative singular; तत्पुरुष (गन्धर्वस्य सुता) + कर्मधारय (उत्तमा)

• ताभिः: with them
• ताभिः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• सखीभिः: with (her) friends
• सखीभिः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• सहिता: accompanied
• सहिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-हि (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — Nominative singular; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• नित्यम्: daily
• नित्यम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — कालवाचक (always; daily)

• लिङ्गम्: the liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• पश्यति: sees/visits
• पश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Present, 3rd person singular

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ratneśvara

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muni

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Processional daily visit: Ratnāvalī and her three companions walking together through Kāśī lanes toward the shrine, carrying flowers and lamps; they stand before the liṅga in synchronized reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Gandharva
• Liṅga
• Friends/companions

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Consistency in vow and daily worship—supported by good companionship—stabilizes devotion and multiplies merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The daily darśana refers to the Ratneśvara Liṅga in Kāśī, the focal sacred site of this passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Maintaining niyama (a disciplined vow) and performing nitya-darśana (daily viewing/worship) of the liṅga.