Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

सुगंधचंदनैः पुष्पैर्मम लोके महीयते । ज्येष्ठेशात्पश्चिमेभागे वायुकुंडोत्तरेण तु

Transliteration

sugaṃdhacaṃdanaiḥ puṣpairmama loke mahīyate | jyeṣṭheśātpaścimebhāge vāyukuṃḍottareṇa tu

Translation

以芬芳檀香与花鬘供奉，则于我之界中蒙受尊崇。（此帕瓦玛内湿伐罗）位于阇耶什提湿伐罗（Jyeṣṭheśa）之西侧，并在风池（Vāyu-kuṇḍa）之北。

Word by Word

• सुगन्धचन्दनैः: with fragrant sandalwood
• सुगन्धचन्दनैः: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुगन्ध-चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक; सुगन्ध + चन्दन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—कर्मधारय (‘fragrant sandalwood’)

• पुष्पैः: with flowers
• पुष्पैः: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• मम: my
• मम: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम

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

• महीयते: is honored, is revered
• महीयते: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense: ‘is honored’)

• ज्येष्ठेशात्: from Jyeṣṭheśa
• ज्येष्ठेशात्: अपादान (Source/Point of reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ-ईश (प्रातिपदिक; ज्येष्ठ + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (name: ‘Jyeṣṭheśa’)

• पश्चिमे: in the western
• पश्चिमे: विशेषण (Qualifier of भागे)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• भागे: in the part/region
• भागे: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• वायुकुण्ड: Vāyu-kuṇḍa (name of a pond)
• वायुकुण्ड: सम्बन्ध (Relation within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु-कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक; वायु + कुण्ड)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-सम्बन्धार्थे (genitive relation as first member), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘Vāyu-pond’)

• उत्तरेण: to the north of
• उत्तरेण: अधिकरण (Spatial relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभावार्थक (postposition-like usage: ‘to the north of’), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग

• तु: indeed, and
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

Speaker

Śiva (contextual, giving both merit and location markers)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pavamāneśvara (with reference points: Jyeṣṭheśa, Vāyu-kuṇḍa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Not explicit

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim carries sandal paste and flower garlands through Kāśī’s lanes, guided by directions: west of Jyeṣṭheśa, north of Vāyu-kuṇḍa; the shrine appears amid clustered temples and sacred tanks.

Characters & Entities

• Pavamāneśvara
• Jyeṣṭheśa
• Vāyu-kuṇḍa
• Śiva
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Simple devotional offerings (flowers, sandal) offered at Kāśī’s liṅgas carry lasting honor and recognition in Śiva’s realm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Pavamāneśvara Liṅga, with its placement relative to Jyeṣṭheśa and Vāyu-kuṇḍa in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering sugandha-candana (fragrant sandal) and puṣpa (flowers) in worship.