Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

इति निश्चित्य मनसि शंभोरानंदकानने । अतिष्ठद्योगिनीवृंदं कयाचिन्माययावृतम्

Transliteration

iti niścitya manasi śaṃbhorānaṃdakānane | atiṣṭhadyoginīvṛṃdaṃ kayācinmāyayāvṛtam

Translation

असा मनात निश्चय करून, शंभूच्या ‘आनंद-कानना’त योगिनींचा वृंद कोणत्यातरी रहस्यमय मायेनं आच्छादित होऊन उभा राहिला होता.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Discourse marker (इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• निश्चित्य: having ascertained
• निश्चित्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√चि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया (having ascertained/decided)

• मनसि: in the mind
• मनसि: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• शंभोः: of Śambhu
• शंभोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• आनन्दकानने: in the grove of bliss
• आनन्दकानने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द + कानन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (आनन्दस्य काननम्)

• अतिष्ठत्: stood; remained
• अतिष्ठत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• योगिनीवृन्दम्: the group of yoginīs
• योगिनीवृन्दम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिनी + वृन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (योगिनीनां वृन्दम्)

• कयाचित्: by some (unspecified)
• कयाचित्: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कया-चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; अनिर्दिष्टा (by some) विशेषण (मायया)

• मायया: by illusion; by māyā
• मायया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• आवृतम्: covered; enveloped
• आवृतम्: Karma (Object qualified/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (योगिनीवृन्दम्)

Speaker

Narrative voice (context: Skanda-Purāṇa Kāśī-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānandakānana (within Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the bliss-forest of Śambhu, a multitude of Yoginīs stand together, their forms partially concealed by an enigmatic veil of māyā; the grove feels otherworldly.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Ānanda-kānana
• Yoginīs
• Māyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred realm of Kāśī includes subtle divine presences (Yoginīs) that may remain hidden by māyā, indicating the place’s esoteric depth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ānanda-kānana within Kāśī, a celebrated sacred grove associated with Śiva’s bliss.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it sets the scene for Yoginī-related teachings that follow.