Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

स्वदेहादनपायिन्यौ छायाकांती यथा तया । ते द्वे सख्यावभूतांहि रत्नावल्या घटोद्भव

Transliteration

svadehādanapāyinyau chāyākāṃtī yathā tayā | te dve sakhyāvabhūtāṃhi ratnāvalyā ghaṭodbhava

Translation

ಅವರು ಇಬ್ಬರೂ ಅವಳ ದೇಹದಿಂದ ಎಂದಿಗೂ ದೂರವಾಗಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ—ನೆರಳು ಮತ್ತು ಕಾಂತಿಯಂತೆ; ಓ ಘಟೋದ್ಭವ! ಅವರು ರತ್ನಾವಳಿಯ ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಆಪ್ತ ಸಖಿಯರಾದರು।

Word by Word

• sva-dehāt: from (her) own body
• sva-dehāt: Apādāna (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (svasya dehāt)

• anapāyinyau: not departing, inseparable
• anapāyinyau: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anapāyin (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचनम्; विशेषणम् (ते द्वे सख्यौ)

• chāyā-kāntī: shadow and radiance
• chāyā-kāntī: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chāyā (प्रातिपदिक) + kānti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचनम्; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (chāyā ca kāntiś ca)

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Connector (उपमा-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्ययम् (comparative particle)

• tayā: with her / by her
• tayā: Sahakāraka/Association (सह/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचनम्

• te: those (two)
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचनम्; ‘those two’

• dve: two
• dve: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचनम्; संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्

• sakhyau: (two) friends
• sakhyau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचनम्

• abhūtām: became
• abhūtām: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु/भू)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), द्विवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• hi: indeed
• hi: Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle; emphasis/causal nuance)

• ratnāvalyāḥ: of Ratnāvalī
• ratnāvalyāḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratnāvalī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचनम्

• ghaṭa-udbhava: O pot-born one (Agastya)
• ghaṭa-udbhava: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghaṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (ghaṭāt udbhavaḥ)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; addressing Agastya explicitly as Ghaṭodbhava)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (ghaṭodbhava)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two companions stand so close to Ratnāvalī that they appear like her shadow and her glow—one rendered in slightly darker tones (shadow), the other with a luminous aura (radiance).

Characters & Entities

• Ratnāvalī
• Prabhāvatī
• Kalāvatī
• Agastya (Ghaṭodbhava)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse praises unwavering support for a devotee’s path—true companions remain inseparable in dharma like shadow and light.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ongoing context is Kāśī, the supreme sacred city celebrated throughout the Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it strengthens the narrative frame by addressing Agastya and emphasizing devotion’s support system.