Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 170

Devanagari script

एषा मंदाकिनी नाम दीर्घिका पुण्यतोयभूः । यस्यां कृतोदका मर्त्या मर्त्यलोके विशंति न

Transliteration

eṣā maṃdākinī nāma dīrghikā puṇyatoyabhūḥ | yasyāṃ kṛtodakā martyā martyaloke viśaṃti na

Translation

هذه هي البركة المقدّسة المسماة ماندَاكيني، ومياهها مولودة من الفضل. من أقام هنا طقس الماء من البشر لا يعود ثانيةً إلى عالم الفناء.

Word by Word

• एषा: this (she/this one)
• एषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मंदाकिनी: Mandākinī
• मंदाकिनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (नामनिर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नामार्थक अव्यय (particle meaning ‘by name’)

• दीर्घिका: a long pond/tank
• दीर्घिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पुण्यतोयभूः: having holy water
• पुण्यतोयभूः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य + तोय + भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पुण्यं तोयं यस्याः/यत्र)

• यस्याम्: in which
• यस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कृतोदकाः: those who have performed the water-rite/bath
• कृतोदकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कृतम् उदकम् येषाम् = who have performed the water-rite/bath)

• मर्त्याः: mortals
• मर्त्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• मर्त्यलोके: in the world of mortals
• मर्त्यलोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्यलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मर्त्यानां लोकः)

• विशन्ति: enter
• विशन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mandākinī

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene rectangular sacred pool labeled Mandākinī, lotus-filled, with pilgrims performing udaka-kriyā; subtle divine radiance rising from the water, suggesting ‘merit-born’ sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Mandākinī
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s tīrthas are portrayed as liberation-giving; sacred water rites performed with faith can lead beyond repeated worldly return.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Mandākinī dīrghikā (sacred tank/pool) in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kṛtodaka—performing a water-rite (ablution and/or libation-style sacred water observance) in the Mandākinī.