Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

महाश्मशानस्तंभोस्ति कोटीशाद्वह्निदिक्स्थितः । तस्मिन्स्तंभे महारुद्रस्तिष्ठते चोमया सह

Transliteration

mahāśmaśānastaṃbhosti koṭīśādvahnidiksthitaḥ | tasminstaṃbhe mahārudrastiṣṭhate comayā saha

Translation

കോടീശനിൽ നിന്ന് അഗ്നിദിക്കിൽ (കിഴക്ക്) മഹാശ്മശാനത്തിന്റെ ഒരു സ്തംഭം സ്ഥിതിചെയ്യുന്നു. ആ സ്തംഭത്തിൽ ഉമയോടുകൂടി മഹാരുദ്രൻ വസിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• महाश्मशानस्तंभः: the pillar at the great cremation-ground
• महाश्मशानस्तंभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + श्मशान + स्तंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘महति श्मशाने स्तंभः’ (स्थानीय-तत्पुरुष)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• कोटीशात्: from Koṭīśa
• कोटीशात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; अपादानार्थे

• वह्निदिक्स्थितः: situated in the fire-direction (southeast)
• वह्निदिक्स्थितः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वह्नि + दिक् + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक; स्थित = कृदन्त from √स्था)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्; ‘वह्निदिशि स्थितः’ (locative-tatpurusha)

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण-निर्देश

• स्तंभे: in the pillar
• स्तंभे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तंभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• महारुद्रः: Mahārudra (Great Rudra)
• महारुद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘महान् रुद्रः’

• तिष्ठते: stands/abides
• तिष्ठते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उमया: with Umā
• उमया: Sahakaraka (Associative/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सह-योगे करण/सहकारक

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka-marker (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (postposition: with)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahāśmaśāna-stambha (near Koṭīśa)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tall stone pillar rises near the cremation-ground; funeral fires glow in the distance, yet the atmosphere is sanctified. Above/within the pillar, Mahārudra appears with Umā—calm, ash-smeared, benevolent—transforming the scene into a vision of liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Koṭīśa/Koṭīśvara
• Mahāśmaśāna
• Mahārudra
• Umā (Pārvatī)
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the cremation-ground in Kāśī is sanctified as Śiva’s abode, transforming fear into liberation-centered reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Mahāśmaśāna-stambha (pillar of the Great Cremation-ground) east of Koṭīśa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse emphasizes the divine presence of Mahārudra and Umā at that spot.