Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

शूलं तत्र पुरा न्यस्तं स्नानार्थं वरवर्णिनि । ह्रदस्तत्र समुत्पन्नः शूलेशस्याग्रतो महान्

Transliteration

śūlaṃ tatra purā nyastaṃ snānārthaṃ varavarṇini | hradastatra samutpannaḥ śūleśasyāgrato mahān

Translation

โอ้ผู้มีผิวพรรณงาม ในกาลก่อน ณ ที่นั้นได้วางตรีศูลไว้เพื่อการสรงสนาน และจากนั้นได้บังเกิดสระใหญ่ขึ้นเบื้องหน้าพระศูเลศะ

Word by Word

• शूलम्: trident
• शूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म/विषय (न्यस्तम् इत्यस्य)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• न्यस्तम्: placed; deposited
• न्यस्तम्: Karma (Object state/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न्यस्त (कृदन्त; √अस्/√स्था? here √अस् not; correct: √अस् not; nyasta from √अस्? actually √अस् not; nyasta is past passive participle of √अस्? In usage, न्यस् = √अस्? Better: √अस् not. Standard: √अस् (to throw) no. Correct dhatu: √अस् (to cast) not. Common derivation: नि + √अस् (अस्यति) 'to throw' → न्यस्त.
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (भूतकर्मणि); विशेषणम् (शूलम्)

• स्नानार्थम्: for bathing
• स्नानार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुषः (स्नानाय अर्थः) प्रयोजनवाचक

• वरवर्णिनि: O fair-complexioned lady
• वरवर्णिनि: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरवर्णिनी (प्रातिपदिक; वर + वर्णिन्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संबोधन (vocative)

• ह्रदः: a lake
• ह्रदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ह्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• समुत्पन्नः: arisen; formed
• समुत्पन्नः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समुत्पन्न (कृदन्त; सम् + उद् + √पद्/√पत्? standard: समुत्पद्यते from √पद् (to arise) → उत्पन्न (क्त) from √पद्/√पद् (पद्यते) )
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय; विशेषणम् (ह्रदः)

• शूलेशस्य: of Śūleśa
• शूलेशस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अग्रतः: in front (of)
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय; अग्र + तस्)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in front)

• महान्: great; large
• महान्: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (ह्रदः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śūla-hrada (lake before Śūleśa)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Varavarṇinī (addressed as ‘O fair-complexioned one’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous trident is shown set into the earth near a shrine; from its point a clear lake wells up, with ripples and lotuses, while devotees prepare for ritual bathing.

Characters & Entities

• Śūla (Trident)
• Śūleśa
• Hrada (sacred lake/pond)
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sacred waters are portrayed as divinely originated, linking ritual bathing to Śiva’s own emblems and presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The great hrada (pond/lake) that arose in front of Śūleśa in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (bathing) is implied as the purpose connected with the site’s origin.