Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

मंदमद मरुल्लोल पल्लवैः करपल्लवैः । योध्वगानध्वसंतप्तानाह्वये दिवतापहृत्

Transliteration

maṃdamada marullola pallavaiḥ karapallavaiḥ | yodhvagānadhvasaṃtaptānāhvaye divatāpahṛt

Translation

मंद-मंद मादक पवन से हिलते अपने कर-पल्लवों द्वारा वह वटवृक्ष मार्ग से संतप्त, थके यात्रियों को बुलाता है और दिन का ताप व श्रम हर लेता है।

Word by Word

• मन्दमद: gently swaying
• मन्दमद: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द + मद (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; अत्र विशेषणरूपेण (gentle-intoxicated i.e., mildly swaying)

• मरुल्लोल: trembling in the breeze
• मरुल्लोल: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मरुत् + लोल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (wind-trembling)

• पल्लवैः: with sprouts/leaves
• पल्लवैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पल्लव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (instr. pl.)

• करपल्लवैः: with hand-like leaves
• करपल्लवैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर + पल्लव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (hand-like leaves)

• योद्ध्वगान्: war-bound travellers/warriors on the road
• योद्ध्वगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योद्ध्वग (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (युद्धं गच्छन्ति इति)

• अध्वसंतप्तान्: wearied by the road
• अध्वसंतप्तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अध्वन् + संतप्त (सम्+तप् + क्त; कृदन्त) (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (अध्वना संतप्त = scorched by the journey)

• आह्वये: I call/invite
• आह्वये: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + ह्वे (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• दिवतापहृत्: removing the daytime heat
• दिवतापहृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव + ताप + हृत् (हृ धातु से कृत्; प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (दिवा तापं हरति)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāñcana-śākhā Vata (as refuge-tīrtha)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya / sages (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The banyan’s tender leaves sway like soft hands in a mild breeze, as if calling road-weary pilgrims to rest; travelers sit beneath, their fatigue and heat visibly easing.

Characters & Entities

• Kāñcanaśākhā vaṭa
• Travelers (adhvagāḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a tīrtha, nature itself participates in dharma—guiding and soothing pilgrims as part of the sacred economy of merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The sacred banyan (Kāñcanaśākhā) in the Kāśī/Ānandavana context, portrayed as a haven for pilgrims.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it highlights the pilgrim-supporting grace embedded in the sacred landscape.