Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

तत्प्रसादोयमतुलः सर्वरत्नमयः शुभः । हिरण्यगर्भतीर्थाच्च प्रतीच्यां क्षेत्ररक्षकम्

Transliteration

tatprasādoyamatulaḥ sarvaratnamayaḥ śubhaḥ | hiraṇyagarbhatīrthācca pratīcyāṃ kṣetrarakṣakam

Translation

此乃他无比的恩泽，吉祥殊胜，宛如由一切宝珠所成；而在西方，自金胎圣渡（Hiraṇyagarbha-tīrtha）处，（屹立着）守护此圣域的护持者。

Word by Word

• तत्प्रसादः: that grace/favor
• तत्प्रसादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य प्रसादः)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अतुलः: incomparable
• अतुलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वरत्नमयः: made of all gems
• सर्वरत्नमयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वैः रत्नैः मयः = made of all gems)

• शुभः: auspicious
• शुभः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• हिरण्यगर्भतीर्थात्: from the Hiraṇyagarbha ford (tīrtha)
• हिरण्यगर्भतीर्थात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यगर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हिरण्यगर्भस्य तीर्थम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• प्रतीच्याम्: in the west
• प्रतीच्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतीची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; दिशावाचक—पश्चिमदिशि

• क्षेत्ररक्षकम्: the protector of the sacred field
• क्षेत्ररक्षकम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (क्षेत्रस्य रक्षकः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa context, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hiraṇyagarbha-tīrtha

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A western Kāśī tīrtha with golden waters (Hiraṇyagarbha) glints like jewels; nearby stands a vigilant kṣetra-rakṣaka deity/guardian figure, blessing pilgrims and warding harm.

Characters & Entities

• Hiraṇyagarbha-tīrtha
• Kṣetra-rakṣaka (guardian of the sacred field)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine grace manifests tangibly in Kāśī’s sacred landscape, including protective presences that guard the kṣetra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Hiraṇyagarbha-tīrtha in Kāśī, referenced as a landmark connected with a kṣetra-guardian.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse functions as tīrtha-topography and protective theology of the kṣetra.