Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

नमेरुभिश्च मेरूच्चशिखरैरिव राजितम् । राजादनैश्च मदनैः सदनैरिव कामिनाम्

Transliteration

namerubhiśca merūccaśikharairiva rājitam | rājādanaiśca madanaiḥ sadanairiva kāminām

Translation

നമേരുവിനെപ്പോലെ ഉയർന്ന ശിഖരങ്ങളാൽ അത് മേരുവിന്റെ ഉന്നത ശിഖരങ്ങളെപ്പോലെ ശോഭിച്ചു; രാജാദനവും മദനവൃക്ഷങ്ങളും കൊണ്ട് അത് കാമികളുടെ രമ്യസദനങ്ങളെന്നപോലെ തോന്നി।

Word by Word

• नमेरुभिः: with (mountains called) Namerus
• नमेरुभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमेरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

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

• मेरु-उच्च-शिखरैः: with lofty peaks of Meru
• मेरु-उच्च-शिखरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक) + उच्च (प्रातिपदिक) + शिखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मेरोः उच्चानि शिखराणि)

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (Simile marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय

• राजितम्: adorned/beautified
• राजितम्: Karma (Result state/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज् (√राज् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• राज-आदनैः: with royal abodes/palaces
• राज-आदनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज (प्रातिपदिक) + आदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (राज्ञाम् आदनानि/गृहाणि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• मदनैः: with Madanas (love-gods)
• मदनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• सदनैः: with dwellings/houses
• सदनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (Simile marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय

• कामिनाम्: of lovers
• कामिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (general)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred landscape that looks mountainous with Meru-like high summits; interspersed are rājādana and madana trees forming elegant ‘pleasure-houses’—natural pavilions suggesting refined romance amid grandeur.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Meru
• rājādana
• madana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is exalted as both majestic (Meru-like) and delight-giving—its sanctity is experienced as upliftment and bliss.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī-kṣetra overall, through metaphors of mountains and enchanting groves.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction appears in this verse.