Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

मेनया च सुनीत्या च संज्ञया स्वाहया तथा । यथैषा वर्ण्यते श्रेष्ठा न तथान्येति निश्चितम

Transliteration

menayā ca sunītyā ca saṃjñayā svāhayā tathā | yathaiṣā varṇyate śreṣṭhā na tathānyeti niścitama

Translation

ତଥା ମେନା, ସୁନୀତି, ସଂଜ୍ଞା ଓ ସ୍ୱାହା ମଧ୍ୟ; ଯେପରି ଏହି (ଲୋପାମୁଦ୍ରା) ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠା ବୋଲି ବର୍ଣ୍ଣିତ, ସେପରି ଅନ୍ୟେ ନୁହେଁ—ଏହା ନିଶ୍ଚିତ ନିଷ୍କର୍ଷ।

Word by Word

• menayā: by/with Menā
• menayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: menā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; व्यक्तिनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (and)

• sunītyā: by/with Sunīti
• sunītyā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sunīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; व्यक्तिनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम्

• saṃjñayā: by/with Saṃjñā
• saṃjñayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; व्यक्तिनाम

• svāhayā: by/with Svāhā
• svāhayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svāhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; व्यक्तिनाम

• tathā: thus/likewise
• tathā: Prakara (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: thus/so)

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (Correlative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/उपमानवाचक-अव्ययम् (correlative: as)

• eṣā: this (one)
• eṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• varṇyate: is described/praised
• varṇyate: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: varṇ (वर्ण् धातु, ‘to describe/praise’)
• Form: लट्-लकारः; प्रथम-पुरुषः; एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive: ‘is described/praised’)

• śreṣṭhā: excellent, best
• śreṣṭhā: Pratijna (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (predicate adjective of ‘eṣā’)

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्ययम्

• tathā: so/likewise
• tathā: Prakara (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्ययम् (so/likewise)

• anyā: another (woman)
• anyā: Karta (Implied subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; (elliptic: ‘anyā (strī)’)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vakyaparicchedaka (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-अव्ययम् (quotative particle)

• niścitām: certain/decided
• niścitām: Pratijna (Predicate/Conclusion)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niścita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; नि + √ci ‘to decide’, past passive participle)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्तिः; एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (understood with ‘matiḥ/buddhiḥ’ or as predicate: ‘it is certain’)

Speaker

Agastya (deduced, concluding comparison)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame typical; not explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The speaker completes the list and delivers a firm verdict: Lopāmudrā is praised as the best; the composition centers her calm, resolute presence beside the sage, with other exemplars faintly suggested as a respectful backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Menā
• Sunīti
• Saṃjñā
• Svāhā
• Lopāmudrā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is graded by steadfastness; the text highlights Lopāmudrā as an unsurpassed model of devoted righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate focus is virtue; the tirtha-glorifying frame is Kāśī within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly.