Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

ससौधो मेखिले लोके स्थानं परमनिर्वृतेः । रतिशाला स मे रम्या स मे विश्वासभूमिका

Transliteration

sasaudho mekhile loke sthānaṃ paramanirvṛteḥ | ratiśālā sa me ramyā sa me viśvāsabhūmikā

Translation

ഈ വലയിത ലോകത്തിൽ ആ സൗധം എന്റെ പരമ നിർവൃതി-ആനന്ദത്തിന്റെ ആസനം; ആ രമ്യശാല തന്നെ എന്റെ രതിശാല, അതേ ഭക്തരോടുള്ള എന്റെ അന്തരംഗ ആശ്വാസത്തിന്റെ ഭൂമികയും ആകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• ससौधः: with a mansion
• ससौधः: Visheshana (Qualifier of sthānam/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स- सौध (प्रातिपदिक; components: स + सौध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘with a mansion’)

• मेखिले: in the girdled/encircled (world)
• मेखिले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्थानम्: a place/abode
• स्थानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• परमनिर्वृतेः: of supreme bliss
• परमनिर्वृतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-निर्वृति (प्रातिपदिक; components: परम + निर्वृति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘supreme bliss/cessation’)

• रतिशाला: a pleasure-hall
• रतिशाला: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति-शाला (प्रातिपदिक; components: रति + शाला)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘hall of delight’)

• सा: that (she/it)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• रम्या: lovely
• रम्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सा: that (she/it)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• विश्वासभूमिका: a foundation of trust
• विश्वासभूमिका: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वास-भूमिका (प्रातिपदिक; components: विश्वास + भूमिका)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘ground/basis of trust’)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, addressing Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (parama-nirvṛti-sthāna; prāsāda as seat of beatitude)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Interlocutor in Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative frame (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene, lamp-lit inner hall of the Lord’s abode in Kāśī—half cosmic, half intimate—where the deity’s presence feels like a private assurance; the architecture itself appears as a throne of repose, with devotees resting in trust.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Nirvṛti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred site is not merely a location—it is portrayed as the Lord’s own intimate abode, assuring devotees of peace and divine closeness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, through the glorification of a particular divine edifice/hall within its sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicit; the verse establishes the site’s status as a supreme abode worthy of reverence and approach.