Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

यथा चंपकमाला च यथा मलयवासिनी । कर्पूरलतिका यद्वद्गंधधारा यथा शुभा

Transliteration

yathā caṃpakamālā ca yathā malayavāsinī | karpūralatikā yadvadgaṃdhadhārā yathā śubhā

Translation

ചമ്പകമാലപോലെ മനോഹരയും, മലയപർവ്വതവാസിനിപോലെ സുഗന്ധമയിയും; കർപ്പൂരലതപോലെ ശീതളയും, ശുഭസുഗന്ധധാരപോലെ പവിത്രയും—അവൾ ആകട്ടെ।

Word by Word

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक

• चंपकमाला: Campaka-garland
• चंपकमाला: Upapada (Apposition/उपपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चम्पक + माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः चम्पकस्य माला (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक

• मलयवासिनी: she who dwells in Malaya (mountain)
• मलयवासिनी: Upapada (Apposition/उपपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मलय + वासिनी (वस् धातोः णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः मलये वसति इति (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• कर्पूरलतिका: camphor-creeper
• कर्पूरलतिका: Upapada (Apposition/उपपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्पूर + लतिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः कर्पूरस्य लतिका (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• यद्वत्: just as
• यद्वत्: Sambandha (Adverbial relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक (correlative ‘just as’)

• गंधधारा: stream of fragrance
• गंधधारा: Upapada (Apposition/उपपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः गन्धस्य धारा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक

• शुभा: auspicious/fair
• शुभा: Upapada (Apposition/उपपद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Śrī Devī (Pārvatī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Īśvara (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sensorial tableau: campaka garlands, Malaya sandal breeze, camphor creepers, and a stream of perfume—visual metaphors for the companion’s charm and auspicious presence.

Characters & Entities

• Campaka
• Malaya (sandalwood hills)
• Karpūra (camphor)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner virtue is praised through outer metaphors—fragrance and beauty symbolize purity, auspicious presence, and благотворность (beneficence).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a specific tirtha in this verse; it supports the Kāśī narrative by describing auspicious qualities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive praise (upamā) within a prayer.