Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

पुंडरीकमयीं मालां सश्रीकां बिभ्रती हृदि । ध्यातव्यानेन रूपेण मुमुक्षुभिरहर्निशम्

Transliteration

puṃḍarīkamayīṃ mālāṃ saśrīkāṃ bibhratī hṛdi | dhyātavyānena rūpeṇa mumukṣubhiraharniśam

Translation

അവൾ ഹൃദയത്തിൽ ശ്രീസമ്പന്നമായ വെളുത്ത താമരകളാൽ നിർമ്മിതമായ മാല ധരിക്കുന്നു. മോക്ഷം ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവർ പകലും രാത്രിയും ഇതേ രൂപത്തിൽ അവളെ ധ്യാനിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• puṃḍarīka-mayīm: made of white lotuses
• puṃḍarīka-mayīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṃḍarīka (प्रातिपदिक) + mayī (प्रातिपदिक/तद्धित -मयट्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (fem. acc. sg.)

• mālām: garland
• mālām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mālā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (fem. acc. sg.)

• sa-śrīkām: splendid/with auspicious beauty
• sa-śrīkām: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + -ka (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘स-’=सहितार्थक (with-) (fem. acc. sg.)

• bibhratī: bearing/wearing
• bibhratī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhṛ भृ (धातु) शतृ (bibhrat)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; वर्तमानकालिक-कर्तरि (present active participle, fem. nom. sg.)

• hṛdi: in (her) heart
• hṛdi: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (loc. sg.)

• dhyātavyā: to be meditated upon
• dhyātavyā: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (Predicative qualifier/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dhyai ध्यै (धातु) तव्यत्
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be meditated upon)

• anena: by/with this
• anena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (instr. sg.)

• rūpeṇa: form
• rūpeṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (instr. sg.)

• mumukṣubhiḥ: by seekers of liberation
• mumukṣubhiḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mumukṣu (कृदन्त; √muc मुच् (धातु) सन्/इच्छार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (instr. pl.); इच्छार्थक-प्रातिपदिक (one desiring liberation)

• ahar-niśam: day and night; always
• ahar-niśam: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ahar (प्रातिपदिक) + niśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time), अव्ययीभाव-समास

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa context typically Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene goddess-form with a splendid white-lotus garland resting upon her heart; the composition emphasizes the chest/heart region as the locus of śrī and purity; contemplative posture implied.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇikarṇikā Devī
• Puṇḍarīka (white lotus)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation is supported by continuous remembrance: sustained meditation on the deity’s form refines the mind toward mokṣa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Maṇikarṇikā in Kāśī, presented as a liberating center where devotion and meditation are especially potent.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform continuous dhyāna—meditate on this described form day and night, especially for those seeking mokṣa.