Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 100

Devanagari script

बकशावकसंचारं लक्ष्मणासक्त सारसम् । मत्तबर्हिणसंघुष्टं कपिंजलकुलाकुलम्

Transliteration

bakaśāvakasaṃcāraṃ lakṣmaṇāsakta sārasam | mattabarhiṇasaṃghuṣṭaṃ kapiṃjalakulākulam

Translation

അത് കൊക്കിൻകുഞ്ഞുകളുടെ സഞ്ചാരത്തോടെ സജീവവും, കൂട്ടാളിയോട് ആസക്തിയുള്ള സാരസപക്ഷികളാൽ സമൃദ്ധവും, മത്തമയൂരങ്ങളുടെ ഘോഷത്തോടെ മുഴങ്ങുന്നതും, കപിഞ്ചലപക്ഷികളുടെ കൂട്ടങ്ങളാൽ നിറഞ്ഞതുമായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• बक: crane/heron
• बक: Sambandha (Genitive sense in compound/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc nom/acc sg)

• शावक: young one, chick
• शावक: Sambandha (Genitive sense in compound/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc nom/acc sg)

• संचारम्: movement, roaming
• संचारम्: Viśeṣya (Qualified noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc nom/acc sg)

• लक्ष्मणा: with Lakṣmaṇā (a name)
• लक्ष्मणा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (fem instrumental sg)

• आसक्त: attached, clinging
• आसक्त: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसक्त (√सञ्ज्/सक्त् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc nom/acc sg); attached

• सारसम्: crane (sārasa bird)
• सारसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• मत्त: intoxicated, excited
• मत्त: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc nom/acc sg)

• बर्हिण: peacock
• बर्हिण: Sambandha (Genitive sense in compound/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बर्हिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc nom/acc sg)

• संघुष्टम्: echoing, resounding
• संघुष्टम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संघुष्ट (√घुष् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (neuter nom/acc sg; resounded)

• कपिंजल: francolin/partridge
• कपिंजल: Sambandha (Genitive sense in compound/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिंजल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc nom/acc sg)

• कुल: flock, family
• कुल: Sambandha (Genitive sense in compound/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• आकुलम्: crowded, filled
• आकुलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bustling sacred grove: young herons step through shallows; paired sārasas linger affectionately; peacocks call loudly; kapiñjala flocks fill the branches, creating a festive natural chorus.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• baka (heron)
• sārasa (crane)
• barhiṇa (peacock)
• kapiñjala (bird)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The holy land is recognized by auspicious life and joyful sound—nature itself becomes a witness to sacred merit (puṇya).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the glorification of Kāśī’s grove-and-lake environment within Adhyāya 32.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.