Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

स्नात्वा मौनेन चागत्य मणिकर्णीशमर्चयेत् । कंबलाश्वतरौ नत्वा वासुकीशं प्रणम्य च

Transliteration

snātvā maunena cāgatya maṇikarṇīśamarcayet | kaṃbalāśvatarau natvā vāsukīśaṃ praṇamya ca

Translation

स्नात्वा मौनेन प्रत्यागत्य मणिकर्णीशं समर्चयेत्। कंबलाश्वतरौ नत्वा वासुकीशं च प्रणमेत्।

Word by Word

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); धातु: स्ना

• मौनेन: with silence (observing silence)
• मौनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयार्थक)

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); धातु: गम्; उपसर्ग: आ-

• मणिकर्णीशम्: Maṇikarṇīśa (Lord of Maṇikarṇikā)
• मणिकर्णीशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणिकर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मणिकर्णिकायाः ईशः)

• अर्चयेत्: one should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कम्बलाश्वतरौ: Kambala and Aśvatara
• कम्बलाश्वतरौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कम्बल (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्वतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (कम्बलः + अश्वतरः)

• नत्वा: having bowed to
• नत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); धातु: नम्

• वासुकीशम्: Vāsukīśa (Lord Vāsuki)
• वासुकीशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुकि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वासुकेः ईशः)

• प्रणम्य: having prostrated to
• प्रणम्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); धातु: नम्; उपसर्ग: प्र-

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयार्थक)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā and Maṇikarṇīśa; Vāsukīśa (nāga-linked shrine)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Maṇikarṇikā ghat a pilgrim bathes; then walks back silently with lowered gaze; before a liṅga shrine labeled Maṇikarṇīśa; nearby, serpent-deities (Kambala, Aśvatara) depicted as nāga kings; a shrine to Vāsukīśa with serpent iconography.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇikarṇīśa
• Kambala
• Aśvatara
• Vāsukīśa
• Mauna (silence)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is not only movement but inner restraint—silence and reverent worship sanctify the journey.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Maṇikarṇikā via Maṇikarṇīśa, and associated nāga-linked sacred presences (Vāsukīśa, Kambala, Aśvatara).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathe, maintain silence, worship Maṇikarṇīśa, then bow to Kambala–Aśvatara and salute Vāsukīśa.