Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

रत्नाकरैश्चापि गिरींद्रव्यैर्यथा स्वमन्यैरपि पुण्यधीभिः । संपूजितः कुंभज तत्र शंभुर्नीराजितो मातृगणैरथेशः

Transliteration

ratnākaraiścāpi girīṃdravyairyathā svamanyairapi puṇyadhībhiḥ | saṃpūjitaḥ kuṃbhaja tatra śaṃbhurnīrājito mātṛgaṇairatheśaḥ

Translation

โอ้กุมภชะ ณ ที่นั้นพระศัมภูได้รับการบูชาโดยชอบด้วยทรัพย์จากมหาสมุทรแห่งรัตนะ และด้วยวัตถุอันประเสริฐจากภูผาเจ้าแห่งขุนเขา ตลอดจนเครื่องสักการะอื่นจากผู้มีบุญญาธิ; แล้วพระอีศวรยังได้รับนีราจนะ (อารตี) จากหมู่พระมาตฤคณะ

Word by Word

• रत्नाकरैः: with jewel-treasuries (rich gifts)
• रत्नाकरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + आकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; तत्पुरुषः ‘mines/collections of jewels’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• गिरीन्द्रव्यैः: with mountain treasures
• गिरीन्द्रव्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + व्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; तत्पुरुषः ‘mountain-lord’s wealth’ (i.e., precious substances)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as/according as)

• स्वम्: one’s own
• स्वम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Accusative singular; ‘one’s own’ (elliptic with द्रव्यं)

• अन्यैः: with other (items)
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; (स्वम् अन्यैः) ‘with other (things)’

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (also)

• पुण्यधीभिः: by the pious-minded
• पुण्यधीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; तत्पुरुषः ‘those of meritorious intellect’

• संपूजितः: was duly worshipped
• संपूजितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग) + पूज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Past passive participle ‘fully worshipped’ (predicate)

• कुम्भज: O Kumbhaja (Agastya)
• कुम्भज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन — Vocative/Nominative form used in address; ‘born from a pot’ (Agastya)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• शम्भुः: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular (subject)

• नीराजितः: was honored with ārati
• नीराजितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीरज्/नीराज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — ‘was waved with lights / honored with ārati’

• मातृगणैः: by the Mother-goddess groups
• मातृगणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural; ‘by the groups of Mothers (Mātṛs)’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• ईशः: the Lord
• ईशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Nominative singular; apposition to शम्भुः

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kumbhaja (Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śambhu receives offerings sourced from jewel-oceans and mountain-treasuries; then Mātṛgaṇas perform a brilliant ārati, circling lamps before the Lord amid chanting and rhythmic movement.

Characters & Entities

• Agastya (Kumbhaja)
• Śiva (Śambhu/Īśa)
• Mātṛgaṇas (Divine Mothers)
• Kāśī
• Muktimaṇḍapa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred city gathers all powers—Śiva is worshipped through the best of earth and ocean, and honored by the Mother-goddesses themselves.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, in the Muktimaṇḍapa context where Śiva receives pūjā and nīrājana (ārati).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nīrājana/Ārati (waving of lights) is explicitly mentioned, along with elaborate pūjā using precious offerings.