Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

आबद्धमुकुटं रम्यं कृतकौतुकमंगलम् । मृडानीकृतशृंगारं सुश्रिया सुश्रियायुतम्

Transliteration

ābaddhamukuṭaṃ ramyaṃ kṛtakautukamaṃgalam | mṛḍānīkṛtaśṛṃgāraṃ suśriyā suśriyāyutam

Translation

അവൻ മനോഹരമായി ഉറപ്പിച്ച മകുടം ധരിച്ചു, കൗതുക-മംഗളത്തിന്റെ ശുഭചിഹ്നങ്ങളാൽ അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ട് പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ടു. മൃഡാനി (പാർവതി) ഒരുക്കിയ ശൃംഗാരത്തോടെ സുസജ്ജനായി, ശ്രീയും ശോഭയും ചേർന്ന് ദീപ്തനായി തിളങ്ങി.

Word by Word

• ābaddha-mukuṭam: having a tied/fastened crown
• ābaddha-mukuṭam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ābaddha (कृदन्त; √bandh धातु) + mukuṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास; ‘आबद्धः मुकुटः यस्य/यत्र तत्’ (having a fastened crown)

• ramyam: beautiful, delightful
• ramyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ramya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• kṛta-kautuka-maṅgalam: with auspicious rites/celebrations performed
• kṛta-kautuka-maṅgalam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त; √kṛ धातु) + kautuka (प्रातिपदिक) + maṅgala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कृतं कौतुकमङ्गलं यस्य/यत्र)

• mṛḍānī-kṛta-śṛṅgāram: adorned by Mṛḍānī (Pārvatī)
• mṛḍānī-kṛta-śṛṅgāram: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛḍānī (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (कृदन्त; √kṛ धातु) + śṛṅgāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मृडान्या कृतः शृङ्गारः यस्य/यत्र)

• suśriyā: with good fortune/splendour
• suśriyā: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suśrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण/सहकारक-प्रयोग (instrumental: ‘with/by’)

• suśriyā-yutam: endowed with auspicious splendour
• suśriyā-yutam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: suśrī (प्रातिपदिक) + yuta (कृदन्त; √yuj धातु, ‘joined/endowed’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सुश्रिया युतम्)

Speaker

Narrator (within Kāśīkhaṇḍa tradition: Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine figure appears in full ceremonial adornment: crown firmly fastened, festive auspicious emblems, and refined ornamentation arranged by Mṛḍānī (Pārvatī); the body glows with śrī and grace, as if in a cosmic court setting.

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Mṛḍānī (Pārvatī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine beauty and auspiciousness are portrayed as expressions of dharma and sacred order, honoring Hari as worthy of reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, where the divine assembly and worship underscore Kāśī’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the verse emphasizes auspicious adornment and honor as devotional worship (arcana) in spirit.