Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

कलौ चंद्रेशमहिमा नाभाग्यैरवगम्यते । अन्यच्च ते प्रवक्ष्यामि परं गुह्यं निशापते

Transliteration

kalau caṃdreśamahimā nābhāgyairavagamyate | anyacca te pravakṣyāmi paraṃ guhyaṃ niśāpate

Translation

കലിയുഗത്തിൽ ദുർഭാഗ്യത്താൽ ചന്ദ്രേശന്റെ മഹിമ അറിയപ്പെടുന്നില്ല; ഹേ നിശാപതേ (ചന്ദ്രദേവാ), ഞാൻ നിന്നോട് മറ്റൊരു പരമഗുഹ്യമായ കാര്യം പറയും।

Word by Word

• कलौ: in the Kali age
• कलौ: Adhikaraṇa (Locative-time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• चन्द्रेशमहिमा: the greatness of Candreśvara
• चन्द्रेशमहिमा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रेश- महिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चन्द्रेशस्य महिमा)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• अभाग्यैः: by the unfortunate (people) / through misfortune
• अभाग्यैः: Karana (Instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभाग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• अवगम्यते: is understood/known
• अवगम्यते: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

• अन्यत्: another (thing)
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; ‘किम्?’ इत्यर्थे वस्तुनिर्देशः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative); एकवचन

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I will tell
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future); उत्तमपुरुष (1st person); एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• परम्: supreme, highest
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; ‘गुह्यम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• गुह्यम्: secret (matter)
• गुह्यम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• निशापते: O Lord of the night (Moon)
• निशापते: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा-पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative); एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (निशायाः पतिः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Candreśa/Candreśvara (Kāśī)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Niśāpati (Moon) addressed in vocative; broader audience implied

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-figure speaks confidentially under moonlight; behind them, Candreśvara shrine is half-veiled by mist labeled ‘Kali’. A few fortunate listeners receive a glowing ‘guhya’ scroll, while others pass by unaware.

Characters & Entities

• Candreśa/Candreśvara
• Kali-yuga
• Niśāpati (Moon)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred greatness can be overlooked in Kali-yuga; therefore, esoteric guidance is transmitted to preserve dharma and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Candreśvara’s sanctity within the Kāśī-kṣetra is being highlighted, especially as a hidden glory in the Kali age.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse introduces a confidential teaching (guhya) about Candreśvara.