Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

अथावरुह्य तुरगात्स भूपालोतिविस्मितः । धर्मेशमंडपं प्राप्य स्वात्मानं प्रशशंस ह

Transliteration

athāvaruhya turagātsa bhūpālotivismitaḥ | dharmeśamaṃḍapaṃ prāpya svātmānaṃ praśaśaṃsa ha

Translation

പിന്നീട് രാജാവ് കുതിരയിൽ നിന്ന് ഇറങ്ങി അത്യന്തം വിസ്മയിച്ചു. ധർമേശന്റെ മണ്ഡപത്തിലെത്തി അവിടെ തന്നെത്താനെ പ്രശംസിക്കാൻ തുടങ്ങി.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then)

• अवरुह्य: having dismounted/descended
• अवरुह्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + √रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having descended’

• तुरगात्: from the horse
• तुरगात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; अपादानवाचक (from)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भूपालः: the king
• भूपालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपाल (प्रातिपदिक; भू + पाल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अतिविस्मितः: greatly astonished
• अतिविस्मितः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + विस्मित (कृदन्त; √स्मि/√स्मय् (धातु) with वि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त; विशेषणम्

• धर्मेशमण्डपम्: the pavilion of Dharma-lord (Dharmesha)
• धर्मेशमण्डपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मेश + मण्डप (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मपदम्

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘having reached/attained’

• स्वात्मानम्: his own self
• स्वात्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मपदम्

• प्रशशंस: praised
• प्रशशंस: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पदपूरण/निपात (emphatic/expletive particle)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmeśa-maṇḍapa (within Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king dismounts, astonished, before a pavilion dedicated to Dharmeśa; architectural mandapa with pillars; the king’s posture shifts from wonder to self-satisfaction, hinting at impending correction.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmeśa
• Durdama (implied)
• Ānandakānana (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when approaching dharmic sanctuaries, ego can persist—setting the stage for the holy place to humble and transform the visitor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmeśa-maṇḍapa within the sacred Kāśī sphere, connected to Ānandakānana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the verse notes arrival at a sacred mandapa, implying a place of worship and dharmic assembly.