Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

महाश्मशानस्तंभोस्ति कोटीशाद्वह्निदिक्स्थितः । तस्मिन्स्तंभे महारुद्रस्तिष्ठते चोमया सह

Transliteration

mahāśmaśānastaṃbhosti koṭīśādvahnidiksthitaḥ | tasminstaṃbhe mahārudrastiṣṭhate comayā saha

Translation

Il est un pilier du Grand Champ de Crémation (Mahāśmaśāna), situé dans la direction du feu (à l’est) depuis Koṭīśa. Sur ce pilier demeure Mahārudra avec Umā.

Word by Word

• महाश्मशानस्तंभः: the pillar at the great cremation-ground
• महाश्मशानस्तंभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + श्मशान + स्तंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘महति श्मशाने स्तंभः’ (स्थानीय-तत्पुरुष)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• कोटीशात्: from Koṭīśa
• कोटीशात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे

• वह्निदिक्स्थितः: situated in the fire-direction (southeast)
• वह्निदिक्स्थितः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वह्नि + दिक् + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक; स्थित = कृदन्त from √स्था)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्; ‘वह्निदिशि स्थितः’ (locative-tatpurusha)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण-निर्देश

• स्तंभे: in the pillar
• स्तंभे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• महारुद्रः: Mahārudra (Great Rudra)
• महारुद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘महान् रुद्रः’

• तिष्ठते: stands/abides
• तिष्ठते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उमया: with Umā
• उमया: Sahakaraka (Associative/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सह-योगे करण/सहकारक

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka-marker (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (postposition: with)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahāśmaśāna-stambha (near Koṭīśa)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tall stone pillar rises near the cremation-ground; funeral fires glow in the distance, yet the atmosphere is sanctified. Above/within the pillar, Mahārudra appears with Umā—calm, ash-smeared, benevolent—transforming the scene into a vision of liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Koṭīśa/Koṭīśvara
• Mahāśmaśāna
• Mahārudra
• Umā (Pārvatī)
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the cremation-ground in Kāśī is sanctified as Śiva’s abode, transforming fear into liberation-centered reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Mahāśmaśāna-stambha (pillar of the Great Cremation-ground) east of Koṭīśa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse emphasizes the divine presence of Mahārudra and Umā at that spot.