Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

एतद्रजःकणतुलां त्रिलोक्यपि न गच्छति । एतत्प्राप्त्यै प्रयतते त्रिलोकस्थोऽखिलो भवी

Transliteration

etadrajaḥkaṇatulāṃ trilokyapi na gacchati | etatprāptyai prayatate trilokastho'khilo bhavī

Translation

即使三界也无法衡量此圣地一粒尘埃的价值；因此三界之中一切众生都竭力求得此处。

Word by Word

• एतत्: of this
• एतत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन — (समासपूर्वपद)

• रजःकणतुलाम्: the measure of a dust-particle
• रजःकणतुलाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् + कण + तुला (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: रजसः कणस्य तुला ‘the measure/weight of a dust-particle’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• त्रिलोक्याम्: in the three worlds
• त्रिलोक्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + लोक (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (त्रयः लोकाः यस्यां/यत्र); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; (सन्ध्यन्तरित)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि (even)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (not)

• गच्छति: goes/attains
• गच्छति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• एतत्: of this
• एतत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन — (समासपूर्वपद)

• प्राप्त्यै: for attaining
• प्राप्त्यै: Sampradana (Purpose/recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th case/Dative), एकवचन

• प्रयतते: strives/endeavours
• प्रयतते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• त्रिलोकस्थः: dwelling in the three worlds
• त्रिलोकस्थः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + लोक + स्थ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: त्रिलोक्यां स्थितः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• अखिलः: entire/all
• अखिलः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• भवी: the worldly being (mortal)
• भवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भविन्/भवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; ‘भवसम्बन्धी/संसारी’ (one subject to becoming)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A single glowing dust-mote rising from Maṇikarṇikā’s ground, outweighing symbolic representations of the three worlds (earth, atmosphere, heaven) on a cosmic scale; beings from all realms reaching toward Kāśī.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇikarṇikā (implied by context)
• Triloka (three worlds)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha’s sanctity is beyond worldly comparison; its merit is portrayed as so rare that all beings aspire to reach it.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Contextually, Maṇikarṇikā in Kāśī—so holy that even its dust is declared incomparable.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse motivates pilgrimage and reverence toward the sacred ground itself.