Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

अलंबुषा गुणवती स्थूलकेशी कलावती । कलानिधिर्गुणनिधिः कर्पूरतिलकोर्वरा

Transliteration

alaṃbuṣā guṇavatī sthūlakeśī kalāvatī | kalānidhirguṇanidhiḥ karpūratilakorvarā

Translation

阿蓝布莎、古那瓦蒂、斯图拉凯希、卡拉瓦蒂；卡拉尼地、古那尼地、迦尔普拉提拉迦、奥尔瓦罗——（这些亦皆为阿普萨罗）。

Word by Word

• alaṃbuṣā: Alaṃbuṣā
• alaṃbuṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: alaṃbuṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

• guṇavatī: Guṇavatī
• guṇavatī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇavatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम/विशेषणप्रायः

• sthūlakeśī: Sthūlakeśī
• sthūlakeśī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthūla (प्रातिपदिक) + keśinī/keśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः: ‘स्थूला केशाः यस्याः’ (thick-haired)

• kalāvatī: Kalāvatī
• kalāvatī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalāvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

• kalānidhiḥ: Kalānidhi
• kalānidhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalā (प्रातिपदिक) + nidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ‘कलानां निधिः’

• guṇanidhiḥ: Guṇanidhi
• guṇanidhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + nidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: ‘गुणानां निधिः’

• karpūra-tilakā: Karpūra-tilakā
• karpūra-tilakā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karpūra (प्रातिपदिक) + tilakā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः: ‘कर्पूरं तिलकं यस्याः/या’ (having camphor as tilaka)

• urvarā: Urvarā
• urvarā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: urvarā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Apsarās named Guṇavatī, Sthūlakeśī, Kalāvatī, etc., depicted as embodiments of qualities—arts, fragrance (kर्पूरतिलकā), luxuriant hair—forming a radiant svarga ensemble.

Characters & Entities

• Alambuṣā
• Guṇavatī
• Sthūlakeśī
• Kalāvatī
• Kalānidhi
• Guṇanidhi
• Karpūratilakā
• Orvarā
• Apsarāḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It emphasizes the Purāṇic method of teaching through ordered catalogues—showing that even celestial beauty is part of a structured cosmic dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.