Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

इत्थं कथां प्रकुर्वाणे रत्नशेस्य महेश्वरे । कोलाहलो महानासीत्त्रातत्रातेति सर्वतः

Transliteration

itthaṃ kathāṃ prakurvāṇe ratnaśesya maheśvare | kolāhalo mahānāsīttrātatrāteti sarvataḥ

Translation

Ketika wacana tentang Ratneśa, MahāĪśvara, sedang berlangsung demikian, timbullah kekecohan besar di segenap penjuru; dari mana-mana terdengar jeritan, “Selamatkan kami! Selamatkan kami!”

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• कथाम्: story; narration
• कथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रकुर्वाणे: while (he) was doing/relating
• प्रकुर्वाणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र- कृ (धातु) → प्रकुर्वाण (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्; present participle), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सन्दर्भे: महेश्वरे)

• रत्नशेस्य: of Ratnaśeṣa
• रत्नशेस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्नशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• महेश्वरे: in/with Maheśvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महा + ईश्वर), पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• कोलाहलः: uproar; tumult
• कोलाहलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोलाहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• त्राता: savior!
• त्राता: Sambodhana/Exclamation
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (उद्गाररूपेण)

• त्राता: savior!
• त्राता: Sambodhana/Exclamation
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (पुनरुक्ति-उद्गार)

• इति: thus (saying)
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• सर्वतः: from all sides; everywhere
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: दिग्वाचक-अव्यय (everywhere/from all sides)

Speaker

Skanda (narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ratneśvara/Ratneśa context in Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viprendra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A crowded Kāśī street or ghat near a shrine: people running and raising hands, mouths open crying ‘trāhi trāhi’; in the background, the Ratneśa shrine and a calm narrator continuing the discourse; tension between panic and sacred steadiness.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Ratneśa/Ratneśvara
• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Purāṇic sacred geography, crises become occasions for turning to Maheśvara; the narrative pivots from praise to urgent refuge-seeking.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Ratneśa/Ratneśvara sphere within Kāśī, addressed as Maheśvara (Śiva) in the unfolding episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is stated; the immediate act shown is śaraṇāgati—crying for protection and taking refuge.