Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

स्फुरत्स्फटिकनिर्माण श्लक्ष्ण पद्मशिलातले । अनेकरत्नरूपाणि विचित्राणि समंततः

Transliteration

sphuratsphaṭikanirmāṇa ślakṣṇa padmaśilātale | anekaratnarūpāṇi vicitrāṇi samaṃtataḥ

Translation

स्फुरणाऱ्या स्फटिकाने बनलेल्या, गुळगुळीत पद्मशिळेच्या तळावर, सर्व बाजूंनी अनेक रत्नरूपे—अद्भुत व विचित्र—दिसून येतात।

Word by Word

• स्फुरत्: glittering
• स्फुरत्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फुर् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग प्रातिपदिक-रूप; विशेषणार्थ

• स्फटिकनिर्माण: crystal-made
• स्फटिकनिर्माण: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फटिक + निर्माण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः = ‘स्फटिकस्य निर्माणम्’ (made of crystal)

• श्लक्ष्ण: smooth
• श्लक्ष्ण: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विशेषण

• पद्मशिलातले: on the lotus-stone floor
• पद्मशिलातले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म + शिला + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः = ‘पद्म-शिलायाः तलम्’ (on the lotus-stone floor)

• अनेक: many
• अनेक: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक (indeclinable stem used adjectivally); समासपूर्वपद-भाव

• रत्नरूपाणि: gem-forms/figures
• रत्नरूपाणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः = ‘रत्नस्य रूपम्’ (forms/figures of gems)

• विचित्राणि: variegated, wondrous
• विचित्राणि: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• समन्ततः: all around
• समन्ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (assumed frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast hall with smooth lotus-patterned stone floor made of sparkling crystal; reflections multiply countless jewel-forms around, creating kaleidoscopic wonder.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Avimukta)
• Sphaṭika (crystal)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The purity and brilliance of the setting symbolize the clarity of consciousness associated with Kāśī’s liberating presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta-Kāśī, through an idealized vision of sacred, crystal-like purity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive praise of the kṣetra’s divine environment.