Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

मार्कंडं मणिकर्णीश रत्नेश्वरमथापि वा । अथवा योगिनीपीठं साधकस्यैव सिद्धिदम्

Transliteration

mārkaṃḍaṃ maṇikarṇīśa ratneśvaramathāpi vā | athavā yoginīpīṭhaṃ sādhakasyaiva siddhidam

Translation

(Seorang bhakta) dapat memuja Mārkaṇḍa, Maṇikarṇīśa, dan juga Ratneśvara; atau pula Yoginī-pīṭha, yang sungguh menganugerahkan siddhi bagi sang sādhaka.

Word by Word

• मार्कण्डम्: Mārkaṇḍa (name)
• मार्कण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (नाम)

• मणिकर्णीश: Maṇikarṇīśa
• मणिकर्णीश: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणिकर्णी-ईश (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पदपाठे ‘मणिकर्णीशम्’ अपेक्षितम् (अत्र छन्दो/लिप्यन्तर-लोपः)

• रत्नेश्वरम्: Ratneśvara
• रत्नेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अथ: then / and
• अथ: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/and)

• अपि: also / even
• अपि: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha/Connector (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ + वा (अव्यय-समुदाय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or else)

• योगिनीपीठम्: the Yoginī-seat (Yoginīpīṭha)
• योगिनीपीठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिनी-पीठ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• साधकस्य: of the practitioner
• साधकस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• एव: indeed / only
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (indeed/only)

• सिद्धिदम्: bestowing accomplishment/success
• सिद्धिदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिद्धि-द (दा √दा/दद् धातु; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सिद्धिं ददाति’ इति बहुव्रीह्यर्थेण विशेषणम् (giver of success)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā / Maṇikarṇīśa; Yoginīpīṭha (within Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night at Maṇikarṇikā: funeral pyres glow; above, a small shrine of Maṇikarṇīśa stands with steady lamps. Nearby, a secluded Yoginīpīṭha is depicted as a circular sanctum with yoginīs in protective stance, granting siddhi to a disciplined sādhaka.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇikarṇīśa
• Maṇikarṇikā
• Ratneśvara
• Yoginī-pīṭha
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī integrates Śaiva and Śākta power-centers; sincere sādhana at such pīṭhas is praised as capable of yielding spiritual accomplishment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Maṇikarṇikā’s lord (Maṇikarṇīśa) and a Yoginī-pīṭha within Kāśī’s sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It indicates siddhi-oriented worship/sādhana at a Yoginī-pīṭha; specific mantras or offerings are not detailed in this verse.