Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 97

Devanagari script

मधुरामोद दमनच्छन्नं मरुबनोदितम् । लवलीलोललीलाभृन्मंदमारुतलोलितम्

Transliteration

madhurāmoda damanacchannaṃ marubanoditam | lavalīlolalīlābhṛnmaṃdamārutalolitam

Translation

അത് ദമനലതകളാൽ മൂടപ്പെട്ടും മധുരസൗരഭം നിറഞ്ഞും നിന്നു. മരുഭൂമിയിലെ ഉപവനം ജീവൻ നേടിയതുപോലെ പുഷ്പിച്ചു; ലവലീ വള്ളികൾ മന്ദമാരുതത്തിൽ ലീലയായി ആടിക്കുലുങ്ങി.

Word by Word

• मधुर: sweet
• मधुर: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• आमोद: fragrance
• आमोद: Viśeṣya (Qualified noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आमोद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative singular)

• दमन: damanaka (a fragrant plant)
• दमन: Sambandha (Genitive sense in compound/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• छन्नम्: covered
• छन्नम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छन्न (√छद् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (neuter nom/acc sg; past passive participle)

• मरुबन: desert-grove
• मरुबन: Adhikaraṇa (Locative sense implied/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरु (प्रातिपदिक) + वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (neuter nom/acc sg; ‘desert-forest’)

• उदितम्: arisen, sprung up
• उदितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदित (√उद् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (neuter nom/acc sg; arisen/appeared)

• लवली: lavalī (clove/jasmine-like creeper)
• लवली: Sambandha (Genitive sense in compound/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लवली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine, nominative singular)

• लोल: swaying, unsteady
• लोल: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• लीला: play, sport
• लीला: Sambandha (Genitive sense in compound/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine nom/acc sg)

• भृत्: bearing, possessing
• भृत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृत् (√भृ धातु, क्विप्-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine nominative singular); ‘bearer/holder’ (agent-noun)

• मन्द: gentle, mild
• मन्द: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc nom/acc sg)

• मारुत: wind
• मारुत: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masc nom/acc sg)

• लोलितम्: swayed, rocked
• लोलितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोलित (√लुल्/लोल् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (neuter nom/acc sg; made to sway)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fragrant grove carpeted with damana plants; lavalī creepers sway in a soft breeze; the air looks visible with perfume, suggesting a sanctified garden within Kāśī.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• damana (plant)
• lavalī (creeper)
• gentle breeze (manda-māruta)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine presence transforms even harshness into flourishing—holiness is a power that makes life gentle, fragrant, and fit for devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A fragrant grove within the sacred sphere of Kāśī, continuing the adhyāya’s landscape māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse focuses on sacred ambiance rather than ritual instruction.