Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

तथैवाप्सरसः कुंडान्मेनकाख्याच्छतद्वयम् । उर्वशीकुंडतः प्राप्ताः सहस्रं द्विशताधिकम्

Transliteration

tathaivāpsarasaḥ kuṃḍānmenakākhyācchatadvayam | urvaśīkuṃḍataḥ prāptāḥ sahasraṃ dviśatādhikam

Translation

അതുപോലെ മേനകാ എന്ന അപ്സരാ-കുണ്ഡത്തിൽ നിന്ന് രണ്ട് നൂറ് പേർ വന്നു; ഉർവശീ-കുണ്ഡത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ആയിരത്തി ഇരുനൂറിലധികം പേർ എത്തി।

Word by Word

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘एवं/तथैव’ (likewise)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण)

• अप्सरसः: Apsarases
• अप्सरसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• कुण्डात्: from the pond
• कुण्डात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन

• मेनकाख्यात्: from the one called Menakā
• मेनकाख्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेनका-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक; मेनका + आख्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (स्थाननामविशेषणरूपे), पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘मेनका’ इति आख्या यस्य)

• शतद्वयम्: two hundred
• शतद्वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत-द्वय (प्रातिपदिक; शत + द्वय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (two hundreds = 200)

• उर्वशीकुण्डतः: from Urvaśī’s pond
• उर्वशीकुण्डतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वशी-कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक; उर्वशी + कुण्ड)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (उर्वश्याः कुण्डम्)

• प्राप्ताः: arrived
• प्राप्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) + त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त) ‘प्राप्त’ = arrived/obtained; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे क्रियासमानार्थकः (they arrived)

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-नाम

• द्विशताधिकम्: plus two hundred (i.e., 1200)
• द्विशताधिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि-शत-अधिक (प्रातिपदिक; द्वि + शत + अधिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः—‘द्विशतैः अधिकम्’ (more than two hundred) ‘सहस्रम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Menakā Kuṇḍa; Urvaśī Kuṇḍa

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two adjacent sacred ponds with ornate steps; subtle presence of apsarases (Menakā and Urvaśī) as luminous figures above the water; groups of pilgrims/attendants arriving in counted formations, with floral offerings and perfumed air.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Śiva
• Apsaras Kuṇḍa
• Menakā
• Urvaśī Kuṇḍa
• Dvijas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even tīrthas associated with celestial beings are integrated into Kāśī’s Śiva-centered sacred map, drawing devotees onward.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Menakā Kuṇḍa and Urvaśī Kuṇḍa—ponds linked with apsarases—are named as notable sacred sites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No; the verse lists pilgrimage arrivals rather than prescribing rites.