Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

अनिलालोल कंकोल वल्लीहल्ली सकायितम् । लवलीलवलीलाभिर्लास्यलीलालयं किल

Transliteration

anilālola kaṃkola vallīhallī sakāyitam | lavalīlavalīlābhirlāsyalīlālayaṃ kila

Translation

वाऱ्याने डोलणाऱ्या कंकोल वेलीं व गुंतलेल्या लता जणू आलिंगन करीत आहेत; लवली व खेळकर तंतूंनी ते खरोखर नृत्य-लीलेचे आलय भासते।

Word by Word

• अनिलालोल: swaying in the wind
• अनिलालोल: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिलालोल (प्रातिपदिक) = अनिल + आलोल
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nom/acc sg); कर्मधारय—अनिलेन आलोलः (wind-swayed)

• कंकोल: kankola (a fragrant plant/berry)
• कंकोल: Sambandha (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कंकोल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nom/acc sg)

• वल्ली: creeper
• वल्ली: Sambandha (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्ली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine, nom/acc sg)

• हल्ली: hallī (a creeper/plant name)
• हल्ली: Sambandha (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हल्ली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine, nom/acc sg)

• सकायितम्: made companion-like / made friendly
• सकायितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स√काय् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘सकायित’ = सखायित/सकायित (मित्रवत् कृतम्/सहचरवत्)

• लवलीलवलीलाभिः: by lavalī and lavalīlā (plants)
• लवलीलवलीलाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लवली-लवलीला (प्रातिपदिक) = लवली + लवलीला
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (feminine, instrumental plural); द्वन्द्व—लवली च लवलीला च (two plant-names)

• लास्यलीलालयम्: a dwelling of playful dance
• लास्यलीलालयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लास्य-लीला-आलय (प्रातिपदिक) = लास्य + लीला + आलय
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nom/acc sg); समासः—लास्यस्य लीला इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष + आलयः (लीलायाः आलयः)

• किल: indeed, as is said
• किल: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/प्रसिद्ध्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: indeed, it is said)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Wind animates kaṅkola creepers and intertwined vines; lavalī tendrils curl like dancers’ arms; the whole grove appears as a graceful dance pavilion.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• anila (wind)
• kaṅkola
• vines/creepers

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a sacred kṣetra, even natural motion is perceived as līlā—beauty becomes a sign of divine presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s sacred woodland/grove areas within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated in this verse.