Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

अथनेत्थं कथमियमकांडात्पर्यमूमुहत् । प्रेक्षमाणा रहश्चित्रपटीमति पटीयसीम्

Transliteration

athanetthaṃ kathamiyamakāṃḍātparyamūmuhat | prekṣamāṇā rahaścitrapaṭīmati paṭīyasīm

Translation

ତେବେ ସେମାନେ ବିସ୍ମୟରେ କହିଲେ—“ଏହି ନାରୀ ହଠାତ୍ ଏହି ମୋହଜନିତ ମୂର୍ଛାରେ କିପରି ପଡ଼ିଗଲା?” ଏବଂ ଏକାନ୍ତରେ ଚିତ୍ରପଟ ପରି ସୂକ୍ଷ୍ମବୁଦ୍ଧି ଥିବା ସେଇ ଅତିବିବେକିନୀଙ୍କୁ ନିକଟରୁ ନିରୀକ୍ଷଣ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• अथ: then, now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भार्थक/अनन्तरार्थक (then/now)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• इत्थम्: thus, in this way
• इत्थम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (in this manner)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Interrogative adverb/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (how?)

• इयम्: this (woman/one)
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); एकवचन (Singular)

• अकाण्डात्: suddenly, unexpectedly
• अकाण्डात्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अकाण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत्; पञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपेण (ablatival adverb: suddenly/from nowhere)

• परि: around, completely (prefix)
• परि: Sambandha (Verb prefix/उपसर्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपसर्ग (preverb)

• अमूमुहत्: became bewildered
• अमूमुहत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd); एकवचन (Singular); धातु: मुह् (to be bewildered)

• प्रेक्षमाणा: looking, observing
• प्रेक्षमाणा: Karta (Agent as participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; (while) looking

• रहः: secretly, in private
• रहः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; एकान्ते/गुप्ते (in secret/privately)

• चित्रपटीम्: a painted cloth/canvas
• चित्रपटीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र + पटी (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन; समास: कर्मधारय (चित्रा पटी इति)

• अति: exceedingly, very
• अति: Sambandha (Intensifier/उपसर्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; अतिशयार्थक (very/exceedingly; prefix)

• पटीयसीम्: more skillful, very expert
• पटीयसीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of चित्रपटीम्/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पटु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative: more/very skilled)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In a secluded inner chamber, attendants lean in with concern, observing a refined noblewoman who has suddenly swooned; the mood is intimate, hushed, and psychologically subtle.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (implied setting)
• sakhīḥ (female companions, implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in sacred Kāśī, one should respond to suffering with attentive inquiry and compassionate concern.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kāśī-kṣetra is the implied sacred setting, though no single tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed; the emphasis is on careful observation and concern for the afflicted.