Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

प्रासादनिर्मितिं श्रुत्वा भक्ता द्वीपांतरस्थिताः । माणिक्यानि समाजह्रुर्यथासंख्यान्यहो नृप

Transliteration

prāsādanirmitiṃ śrutvā bhaktā dvīpāṃtarasthitāḥ | māṇikyāni samājahruryathāsaṃkhyānyaho nṛpa

Translation

प्रासादनिर्मितिं श्रुत्वा दूरद्वीपेषु संस्थिताः भक्ताः । यथाशक्त्यनुरूपसंख्यानि माणिक्यानि समाहृतवन्तः—अहो नृप विस्मयकरम् ॥

Word by Word

• प्रासादनिर्मितिम्: the construction of a palace
• प्रासादनिर्मितिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रासाद (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्मिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रासादस्य निर्मितिः)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• भक्ताः: devotees
• भक्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• द्वीपान्तरस्थिताः: situated in other islands
• द्वीपान्तरस्थिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (द्वीपान्तर-स्थित = in another island, situated)

• माणिक्यानि: rubies/gems
• माणिक्यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माणिक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• समाजह्रुः: they brought/collected
• समाजह्रुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + हृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• यथासंख्यानि: according to their number
• यथासंख्यानि: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb) = यथासंख्यम्/यथासंख्यानि (according to number, in due proportion)

• अहो: ah!/indeed!
• अहो: Sambodhana/Interjection (Exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्गार/विस्मयबोधक-अव्यय (interjection)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśveśvara (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpa (King)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Across the sea, island-dwelling devotees hear of a grand palace-like temple being built for Viśveśvara; they arrive bearing handfuls and baskets of rubies, each offering matching their means, forming a glittering heap before the sanctum.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Viśveśvara (implied by context of Śaṅkara’s abode)
• Devotees

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion expresses itself as joyful support for sacred works—offering according to one’s capacity becomes meritorious service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), especially the sphere of Viśveśvara/Śaṅkara worship where temple-building is praised.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Temple-support through offerings (dāna)—here, bringing precious stones for the Lord’s abode.