Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

मणिमुक्ताद्यलंकारैर्विचित्रोल्लोच चामरैः । शुभैरनुपभुक्तैश्च दुकूलैर्गंधवासितैः

Transliteration

maṇimuktādyalaṃkārairvicitrolloca cāmaraiḥ | śubhairanupabhuktaiśca dukūlairgaṃdhavāsitaiḥ

Translation

मणी-मोती आदी अलंकारांनी, विचित्र पंखे व चवरांनी, तसेच सुगंधित, शुभ, न वापरलेल्या सूक्ष्म वस्त्रांनी।

Word by Word

• मणिमुक्त-आदि-अलंकारैः: with ornaments such as jewels and pearls
• मणिमुक्त-आदि-अलंकारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + अलंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; (आदि-शब्देन) मणि-मुक्त-प्रभृतयः अलंकाराः

• विचित्र-उल्लोच-चामरैः: with variegated ullocas and yak-tail fans
• विचित्र-उल्लोच-चामरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + उल्लोच (प्रातिपदिक) + चामर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (विचित्र-उल्लोचैः च चामरैः च)

• शुभैः: auspicious, fine
• शुभैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (दुकूलैः)

• अनुपभुक्तैः: unused, not previously worn/consumed
• अनुपभुक्तैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + उप + भुज् (धातु) → उपभुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; नञ्-समास/उपसर्गयुक्त-क्तान्तः; विशेषणम् (not previously used)

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

• दुकूलैः: with fine garments (silks)
• दुकूलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुकूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• गन्धवासितैः: perfumed with fragrance
• गन्धवासितैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + वासित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त; √वास्/वासय्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (दुकूलैः); गन्धेन वासितानि

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśālākṣī Mahāpīṭha (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī’s icon being adorned: pearl and jewel ornaments placed; attendants wave patterned fans and cāmaras; fresh, unused perfumed silk garments presented on a tray.

Characters & Entities

• Viśālākṣī
• Maṇi
• Mukta
• Cāmara
• Dukūla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred offering is to be pure and fitting—beauty, freshness, and reverence are treated as expressions of dharma in worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Viśālākṣī sacred seat in Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), where such upacāras are praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer ornaments, fans/fly-whisks, and unused perfumed fine garments as devotional upacāras.