Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

अध्यास्य मेरुशिखरं दिव्यान्भोगान्समश्नुते । कंबलाश्वतरं तीर्थं पर्वतेश्वर दक्षिणे

Transliteration

adhyāsya meruśikharaṃ divyānbhogānsamaśnute | kaṃbalāśvataraṃ tīrthaṃ parvateśvara dakṣiṇe

Translation

端坐于须弥山之巅，便得享受天界妙乐。（其后）有名为“甘婆罗阿湿伐多罗”的圣地（tīrtha），在帕尔瓦特伊湿伐罗之南。

Word by Word

• अध्यास्य: having ascended
• अध्यास्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-आस् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/तुमुनादि-समकक्ष क्त्वान्त-प्रयोगः (absolutive/gerund in -ya), ‘having ascended/sat upon’

• मेरुशिखरम्: the peak of Meru
• मेरुशिखरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु-शिखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः: मेरोः शिखरम्

• दिव्यान्: divine
• दिव्यान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• भोगान्: enjoyments/pleasures
• भोगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• समश्नुते: enjoys/partakes
• समश्नुते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present Indicative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कम्बलाश्वतरम्: Kambala-Aśvatara (name)
• कम्बलाश्वतरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कम्बल-अश्वतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः: कम्बल + अश्वतर (नाम-समाहार-द्वन्द्वः)

• तीर्थम्: the sacred ford
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• पर्वतेश्वर: O Parvateśvara / Parvateśvara
• पर्वतेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समासः; संबोधन/प्रथमा-एकवचनरूपेण (vocative/nominative form used as name)

• दक्षिणे: to the south (of)
• दक्षिणे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; ‘on the south (side)’

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kambalāśvatara-tīrtha (south of Parvateśvara)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A visionary scene: the devotee, after completing rites, is shown seated on a radiant Meru peak amid celestial gardens, enjoying divya-bhogas; the lower panel shows the pilgrim walking southward from Parvateśvara toward a marked spot named Kambalāśvatara near the ghāṭa lanes.

Characters & Entities

• Meru
• Kambalāśvatara Tīrtha
• Parvateśvara
• Kāśī (Varanasi)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s tīrthas are depicted as granting exalted states—symbolized by ‘Meru’s summit’—through sacred visitation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kambalāśvatara Tīrtha, located south of Parvateśvara in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicit tīrtha-sevana (pilgrimage/visitation), continuing the prescribed route to Kambalāśvatara.