Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

कर्कंधु बंधुजीवैश्च पुत्रजीवैर्विराजितम् । सतिंदुकेंगुदीभिश्च करुणैःकरुणालयम्

Transliteration

karkaṃdhu baṃdhujīvaiśca putrajīvairvirājitam | satiṃdukeṃgudībhiśca karuṇaiḥkaruṇālayam

Translation

കർക്കന്ധു, ബന്ധുജീവ, പുത്രജീവ എന്നിവകൊണ്ട് അത് വിരാജിച്ചു; തിന്ദുകയും ഇംഗുദിയും കൊണ്ടും സമൃദ്ധമായി. ഇത്തരമൊരു സൌമ്യ സമൃദ്ധിയാൽ അത് സത്യമായും ‘കരുണാലയം’—കരുണയുടെ ധാമം—പോലെ തോന്നി.

Word by Word

• कर्कन्धु: karkandhu (jujube)
• कर्कन्धु: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्कन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (सूची-समासवत् नामनिर्देश)

• बन्धुजीवैः: with bandhujīva flowers/plants
• बन्धुजीवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धुजीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण

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

• पुत्रजीवैः: with putrajīva trees
• पुत्रजीवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रजीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण

• विराजितम्: adorned, splendid
• विराजितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-राज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (adorned)

• स-तिन्दुक-इङ्गुदीभिः: with tinduka and iṅgudī trees
• स-तिन्दुक-इङ्गुदीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (अव्यय ‘with’) + तिन्दुक (प्रातिपदिक) + इङ्गुदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (इङ्गुदी), तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण; द्वन्द्वः (tinduka and iṅgudī) with ‘स-’ = along with

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

• करुणैः: with karuṇa trees
• करुणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; करण; (करुण = a kind of tree/plant; also ‘compassionate’ as adj., but here flora list)

• करुणालयम्: abode of compassion
• करुणालयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करुणा (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘करुणालय’ = abode of compassion

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (as Karuṇālaya)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate sacred landscape: fruiting karkaṃdhu, bandhu-jīva, putra-jīva; tiṃduka and iṅgudī trees; pilgrims and ascetics receiving shade and fruit; the city feels like a benevolent shelter.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Karkaṃdhu
• Bandhujīva
• Putrajīva
• Tiṃduka
• Iṅgudī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī is celebrated as karuṇālaya—divine compassion is mirrored in the kṣetra’s nourishing, life-supporting environment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), praised not only for sanctity but for compassionate refuge.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse supports the ethic of compassion associated with living and worshipping in Kāśī.