Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

ससौधो मेखिले लोके स्थानं परमनिर्वृतेः । रतिशाला स मे रम्या स मे विश्वासभूमिका

Transliteration

sasaudho mekhile loke sthānaṃ paramanirvṛteḥ | ratiśālā sa me ramyā sa me viśvāsabhūmikā

Translation

اس گھیرے ہوئے جہان میں وہ عمارت میری اعلیٰ ترین نروِرتی (کامل سرور) کا آسن ہے۔ وہ دلکش رتی شالا میری ہے؛ وہی میرے بھکتوں کے لیے میرے باطنی اطمینان و یقین کی زمین ہے۔

Word by Word

• ससौधः: with a mansion
• ससौधः: Visheshana (Qualifier of sthānam/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स- सौध (प्रातिपदिक; components: स + सौध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘with a mansion’)

• मेखिले: in the girdled/encircled (world)
• मेखिले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्थानम्: a place/abode
• स्थानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• परमनिर्वृतेः: of supreme bliss
• परमनिर्वृतेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम-निर्वृति (प्रातिपदिक; components: परम + निर्वृति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘supreme bliss/cessation’)

• रतिशाला: a pleasure-hall
• रतिशाला: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति-शाला (प्रातिपदिक; components: रति + शाला)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘hall of delight’)

• सा: that (she/it)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• रम्या: lovely
• रम्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सा: that (she/it)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• विश्वासभूमिका: a foundation of trust
• विश्वासभूमिका: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वास-भूमिका (प्रातिपदिक; components: विश्वास + भूमिका)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘ground/basis of trust’)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, addressing Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (parama-nirvṛti-sthāna; prāsāda as seat of beatitude)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Interlocutor in Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative frame (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene, lamp-lit inner hall of the Lord’s abode in Kāśī—half cosmic, half intimate—where the deity’s presence feels like a private assurance; the architecture itself appears as a throne of repose, with devotees resting in trust.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Nirvṛti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred site is not merely a location—it is portrayed as the Lord’s own intimate abode, assuring devotees of peace and divine closeness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, through the glorification of a particular divine edifice/hall within its sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicit; the verse establishes the site’s status as a supreme abode worthy of reverence and approach.