Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

चंचत्प्रासादमाणिक्यैर्विजृंभितमरीचिभिः । सुनीलमपि च व्योमवीक्ष्यमाणं सुनिर्मलम्

Transliteration

caṃcatprāsādamāṇikyairvijṛṃbhitamarīcibhiḥ | sunīlamapi ca vyomavīkṣyamāṇaṃ sunirmalam

Translation

മിനുങ്ങുന്ന പ്രാസാദങ്ങളിലെ മാണിക്യങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നു പരന്ന കിരണങ്ങളാൽ, ഗാഢനീല ആകാശവും നോക്കുമ്പോൾ അത്യന്തം നിർമലവും കളങ്കരഹിതവും ആയി തോന്നി।

Word by Word

• चंचत्: shining/trembling
• चंचत्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चञ्च् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त) → चंचत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शतृ); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचनम् (समासपूर्वपदत्वे)

• प्रासाद: palace
• प्रासाद: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचनम् (समासपूर्वपदत्वे)

• माणिक्यैः: with rubies/gems
• माणिक्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माणिक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचनम्

• विजृंभित: expanded/spread
• विजृंभित: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + जृम्भ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → विजृंभित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचनम् (समासपूर्वपदत्वे)

• मरीचिभिः: by rays
• मरीचिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरीचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचनम्

• सुनीलम्: very blue/deep-blue
• सुनीलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + नील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (particle: also/even)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• व्योम: sky
• व्योम: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम् (समासपूर्वपदत्वे)

• वीक्ष्यमाणम्: being seen/appearing
• वीक्ष्यमाणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + ईक्ष् (धातु) + यमान (कृदन्त) → वीक्ष्यमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मणि वर्तमानकृदन्तः (यमान/शानच्-समकक्षः); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• सुनिर्मलम्: very pure/clear
• सुनिर्मलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Skanda (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sunlit palaces studded with gems; rays scatter and ‘open out’ across the scene; the deep-blue sky looks washed and stainless, as if polished by light.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (implied)
• Prāsāda (palaces)
• Vyoma (sky)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sanctity is expressed through purity and radiance—outer brilliance mirrors inner purification for the pilgrim.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The heavenly appearance of Kāśī’s sacred precincts and temple-palaces.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse serves as devotional city-praise (sthala-māhātmya).