Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

मणिमाणिक्यरत्नानामुच्छलच्चारुरोचिषाम् । ज्योतिर्जालैर्जटिलितं ययेदमवलोक्यते

Transliteration

maṇimāṇikyaratnānāmucchalaccārurociṣām | jyotirjālairjaṭilitaṃ yayedamavalokyate

Translation

முத்து, மாணிக்கம், ரத்தினங்களின் பொங்கும் இனிய ஒளியால் எழும் ஒளிவலைகள் அதனை நெசவுபோல் பின்னியதாகக் காணப்பட்டது।

Word by Word

• मणिमाणिक्यरत्नानाम्: of gems, rubies, and jewels
• मणिमाणिक्यरत्नानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि (प्रातिपदिक) + माणिक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (मणयः च माणिक्यानि च रत्नानि च)

• उच्छलत्: surging; flashing forth
• उच्छलत्: Visheshana (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √छल्/√चल् (धातु) + उत् (उपसर्ग) ; शतृ (वर्तमानकृदन्त)
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचन-सम्बद्धं विशेषणम्; वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), ‘leaping forth/surging’

• चारुरोचिषाम्: of lovely splendors
• चारुरोचिषाम्: Visheshana (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु (प्रातिपदिक) + रोचिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (रोचिस्-शब्दः), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (चारवः रोचिषः)

• ज्योतिर्जालैः: with nets/masses of light
• ज्योतिर्जालैः: Karana/Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक) + जाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ज्योतिषां जालैः)

• जटिलितम्: interwoven; intricate
• जटिलितम्: Predicate adjective (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटिलित (कृदन्त; √जट्/जटिल्, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, ‘made intricate/entangled’

• यया: by which
• यया: Karana/Instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सम्बन्धिनी सर्वनाम—‘by which/with which’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अवलोक्यते: is seen/appears
• अवलोक्यते: Kriya (main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लोक् (धातु) + अव (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close-up montage of jewel-inlaid doors, towers, and parapets emitting interlaced beams—like a woven lattice of light across the city; reflections shimmer as if the air itself is threaded with radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred city is portrayed as self-luminous—its ‘light’ symbolizes spiritual awakening and divine proximity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), depicted as a radiant, jewel-like kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on darśana (holy sight) and awe.