Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

माधवी मधुरालापा सदोंकारं समर्चयेत् । प्राप्याप्यनर्घ्यतारुण्यं सा तु पुष्पबटोः सुता

Transliteration

mādhavī madhurālāpā sadoṃkāraṃ samarcayet | prāpyāpyanarghyatāruṇyaṃ sā tu puṣpabaṭoḥ sutā

Translation

Mādhavī, yang tutur katanya manis, senantiasa memuja Oṃkāra. Walau meraih masa muda yang tak ternilai, putri Puṣpabaṭa itu tetap teguh dalam bhakti tersebut.

Word by Word

• mādhavī: Mādhavī (name)
• mādhavī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mādhavī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (fem. nominative singular)

• madhura-ālāpā: sweet-voiced; with sweet singing
• madhura-ālāpā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura + ālāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (fem. nominative singular) — mādhavī इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• sad-oṃkāram: the true/auspicious Oṃkāra
• sad-oṃkāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + oṃkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम् (masc. accusative singular)

• samarcayet: should worship
• samarcayet: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√arc (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)

• prāpya: having attained
• prāpya: Pūrvakāla (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-√āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive)

• api: also; even
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय/अपि-शब्दः (particle: also/even)

• anarghya-tāruṇyam: priceless youthfulness
• anarghya-tāruṇyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anarghya + tāruṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचनम् (neut. accusative singular)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (fem. nominative singular)

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• puṣpabaṭoḥ: of Puṣpabaṭa
• puṣpabaṭoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpabaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी एकवचनम् (masc. genitive singular)

• sutā: daughter
• sutā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचनम् (fem. nominative singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Oṃkāra-upāsanā locus)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mādhavī, radiant with youth, offers flowers and bilva to an Oṃkāra-marked liṅga, her lips poised in gentle chant; her sweetness of speech is mirrored by serene facial expression.

Characters & Entities

• Mādhavī
• Oṃkāra
• Puṣpabaṭa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even extraordinary worldly gains (like youth) are secondary to unwavering devotion to Oṃkāra/Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the sacred frame; Oṃkāra-liṅga worship is the highlighted focal practice within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Continuous worship (sadā samarcayet) of Oṃkāra—regular reverence of the Oṃkāra-liṅga.