वृक्षैरपि पतत्पुष्पच्छलैःकृतसमर्चनम् । ततःप्रोवाच पुण्यात्मा पुण्यकीर्तिः स सौगतः
vṛkṣairapi patatpuṣpacchalaiḥkṛtasamarcanam | tataḥprovāca puṇyātmā puṇyakīrtiḥ sa saugataḥ
Até as árvores, sob o pretexto de flores que caíam, pareciam prestar adoração. Então falou aquele de alma virtuosa, Puṇyakīrti, o budista de santa fama.
Skanda (narrative voice introducing Puṇyakīrti; deduced)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Listener: Śaunaka and sages
Scene: Trees shower blossoms as if performing samarcana; the virtuous Buddhist teacher Puṇyakīrti rises or gestures to begin speaking amid a reverent hush.
In a sanctified place like Kāśī, even nature is portrayed as participating in worship, and sincere spiritual discourse is honored regardless of the speaker’s background.
Kāśī is the overarching sacred setting in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa; the atmosphere itself is depicted as worshipful.
Flower-offering (puṣpārcana) is evoked poetically, though not prescribed as a rule in this verse.