Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

ज्योतिर्मयीभिर्मालाभिः परितः परिवेष्टितम् । वृंदैर्वृंदारकर्षीणां गणानां च निरंतरम्

Transliteration

jyotirmayībhirmālābhiḥ paritaḥ pariveṣṭitam | vṛṃdairvṛṃdārakarṣīṇāṃ gaṇānāṃ ca niraṃtaram

Translation

ତାହା ଜ୍ୟୋତିର୍ମୟ ମାଳାମାନଙ୍କଦ୍ୱାରା ସବୁଦିଗରୁ ପରିବେଷ୍ଟିତ ଥିଲା, ଏବଂ ଦେବବୃନ୍ଦ ଓ ଶିବଗଣମାନଙ୍କ ଦଳ ନିରନ୍ତର ସେବାରେ ଉପସ୍ଥିତ ଥିଲେ।

Word by Word

• ज्योतिः: light
• ज्योतिः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक, समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• मयीभिः: by (garlands) made of light
• मयीभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः: ज्योतिः-मयी (तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थे ‘ज्योतिर्मयी’ = light-made)

• मालाभिः: with garlands
• मालाभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• परितः: all around
• परितः: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परितः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (spatial adverb)

• परिवेष्टितम्: surrounded, encircled
• परिवेष्टितम्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि+वेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (लिङ्गम् इत्यादि पूर्वोक्तं वस्तु)

• वृन्दैः: by groups
• वृन्दैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगानुसार), तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वृन्दारक: gods, divine beings
• वृन्दारक: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृन्दारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक, समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• ऋषीणाम्: of the divine sages
• ऋषीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः: वृन्दारक-ऋषि (तत्पुरुष; ‘वृन्दारकानां ऋषयः’)

• गणानाम्: of the hosts
• गणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• निरन्तरम्: continuously, without break
• निरन्तरम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निरन्तर (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावप्रयोग)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्यय (adverbial accusative)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśveśvara/Mahāliṅga (Kāśī)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Mahāliṅga wrapped in luminous garlands—rings and strands of light orbiting it—while ranks of devas and Śiva’s gaṇas stand in continuous attendance, forming a protective, celebratory circle.

Characters & Entities

• Mahāliṅga
• Gaṇas
• Vṛndārakas (celestials)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Liṅga is depicted as a cosmic center of worship, honored by divine assemblies—suggesting its supremacy and the exceptional merit of its darśana.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī-kṣetra, through the majestic depiction of the Mahāliṅga and its divine retinue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it describes perpetual attendance and veneration, implying the merit of worship and darśana.