Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

गंगां गंतुं विनिश्चित्य कृत्वा श्राद्धादिकं गृहे । स्थितस्य सम्यक्संकल्पात्तस्य नंदंति पूर्वजाः

Transliteration

gaṃgāṃ gaṃtuṃ viniścitya kṛtvā śrāddhādikaṃ gṛhe | sthitasya samyaksaṃkalpāttasya naṃdaṃti pūrvajāḥ

Translation

مَن عزم عزمًا راسخًا على الذهاب إلى الغانغا، وأقام في بيته شرادها (śrāddha) وما يتصل بها من شعائر، فإنّ أسلافه يفرحون بمجرد نيّته المستقيمة (سَنْكَلْبَا).

Word by Word

• गङ्गाम्: to the Ganga
• गङ्गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; Accusative Singular (feminine)

• गन्तुम्: to go
• गन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); गम्-धातोः; infinitive ‘to go’

• विनिश्चित्य: having firmly decided
• विनिश्चित्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + नि + चि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having ascertained/decided’

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having done’

• श्राद्धादिकम्: śrāddha and related rites
• श्राद्धादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध + आदि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: आदि-तत्पुरुष (श्राद्धम् आदिः यस्य/श्राद्ध-आदि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; Accusative Singular (neuter)

• गृहे: at home
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; Locative Singular (neuter)

• स्थितस्य: of the one who remains (so)
• स्थितस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘स्थित’; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; Genitive Singular; ‘of one who is situated/remaining’

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• संकल्पात्: from (his) resolve
• संकल्पात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; Ablative Singular (masculine)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; Genitive Singular pronoun

• नन्दन्ति: rejoice
• नन्दन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present Indicative 3rd Plural

• पूर्वजाः: ancestors
• पूर्वजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; Nominative Plural (masculine)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (as yātrā-saṅkalpa tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder at home performs śrāddha—offering piṇḍa and water with kuśa grass—while mentally envisioning the Gaṅgā journey; in a subtle overlay, ancestors appear serene and pleased, receiving the offering.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Śrāddha
• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sincere and correct saṃkalpa (religious resolve) itself carries spiritual potency, especially when oriented toward the Gaṅgā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gaṅgā as a pilgrimage destination within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Make a firm resolve to visit Gaṅgā and perform śrāddha-related rites at home as part of the preparation.