Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 98

Devanagari script

निर्मला निर्मलाख्याना नाशिनीतापसंपदाम् । नियता नित्यसुखदा नानाश्चर्यमहानिधिः

Transliteration

nirmalā nirmalākhyānā nāśinītāpasaṃpadām | niyatā nityasukhadā nānāścaryamahānidhiḥ

Translation

അവൾ നിർമ്മലയും അവളുടെ ഖ്യാതിയും നിർമലവും; ജീവികളിൽ സഞ്ചിതമായ താപസമ്പത്തുകളെ (ദുഃഖസഞ്ചയം) നശിപ്പിക്കുന്നവൾ. നിയതയും അചഞ്ചലയും ആയി, നിത്യസുഖം നൽകുന്നവൾ; അനവധി അത്ഭുതങ്ങളുടെ മഹാനിധി അവൾ.

Word by Word

• निर्मला: pure, stainless
• निर्मला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• निर्मल-आख्याना: she whose account/name is pure
• निर्मल-आख्याना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (निर्मलम् आख्यानम्/आख्यानं यस्याः)

• नाशिनी: destroyer
• नाशिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाशिन् (प्रातिपदिक; from √नश् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ताप-संपदाम्: of the riches/accumulations of austerity
• ताप-संपदाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताप (प्रातिपदिक) + संपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तापानां संपदः)

• नियता: disciplined, regulated
• नियता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (कृदन्त; √यम् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्तः—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (नियत = restrained/regulated)

• नित्य-सुख-दा: giver of eternal happiness
• नित्य-सुख-दा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (प्रातिपदिक; from √दा धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नित्यं सुखं ददाति)

• नाना-आश्चर्य-महा-निधिः: a great treasure of many wonders
• नाना-आश्चर्य-महा-निधिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नानाविधानि आश्चर्याणि यस्मिन् सः महानिधिः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sage interlocutor (not explicit here)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A spotless, radiant Devī seated on a white lotus above the Gaṅgā, washing away the smoky haze of beings’ sufferings; behind her, a treasury-like aura reveals wondrous forms—temples, lamps, and celestial symbols.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Varanasi)
• Devī (Goddess)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity and steadfast devotion culminate in the removal of suffering and the gift of lasting well-being.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the broader sacred setting; the stuti functions as part of Kāśī’s praise and its dharmic promise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct injunction appears; the devotional act is nāma-stuti—remembering and praising the Goddess’s qualities.