Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

सुरसाकाननान्येव विलोक्यंते गृहेगृहे । चरित्राणि विचित्राणि पवित्राण्यब्धिजापतेः

Transliteration

surasākānanānyeva vilokyaṃte gṛhegṛhe | caritrāṇi vicitrāṇi pavitrāṇyabdhijāpateḥ

Translation

De demeure en demeure, l’on voit comme des bosquets de délices célestes; on y expose les actes merveilleux et purifiants du Seigneur de la déesse née de l’océan (Viṣṇu).

Word by Word

• सुरसाकाननानि: fragrant/pleasant groves
• सुरसाकाननानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरसा (प्रातिपदिक) + कानन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (सुरसं काननम्)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपातः (only/indeed)

• विलोक्यन्ते: are seen
• विलोक्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लोक् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकालः), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (are seen)

• गृहे: in (each) house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/सप्तमी), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः (गृहे गृहे)

• गृहे: in every house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/सप्तमी), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः

• चरित्राणि: deeds, stories
• चरित्राणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• विचित्राणि: variegated, wondrous
• विचित्राणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (चरित्राणि)

• पवित्राणि: purifying
• पवित्राणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (चरित्राणि)

• अब्धिजापतेः: of the Lord of the ocean-born (Lakṣmī), i.e., Viṣṇu
• अब्धिजापतेः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + जा (धातु) → ज (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6/षष्ठी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अब्धेः जा = लक्ष्मीः; तस्याः पतिः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (gṛha-devatā culture)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Row after row of Kāśī homes with open courtyards; inside, painted or carved panels depict Viṣṇu’s avatāras and exploits—Vāmana-Trivikrama, Narasiṃha, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa—making each house feel like a celestial grove.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Lakṣmī (Abdhijā)
• Kāśī (contextual)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hari-kathā (sacred narratives of Viṣṇu) sanctifies domestic life, turning ordinary homes into spaces of divine delight.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred setting, but the verse expands holiness into every household through devotional culture.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied is śravaṇa/darśana of Hari-caritra—hearing, reciting, and displaying sacred stories as a purifying observance.