Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

श्रुत्यक्षराणि निश्चित्य कारुण्याच्छंभुना मुने । निर्मिता तद्द्रवैरेषा गंगा गंगाधरेण वै

Transliteration

śrutyakṣarāṇi niścitya kāruṇyācchaṃbhunā mune | nirmitā taddravaireṣā gaṃgā gaṃgādhareṇa vai

Translation

হে মুনি, কৰুণাবশত শম্ভুৱে শ্ৰুতিৰ অক্ষৰসমূহ নিৰ্ণয় কৰি, সেই অক্ষৰৰ দ্ৰৱ-সাৰৰে এই গংগাক গঢ়িলে—গংগাধৰ স্বয়ং।

Word by Word

• श्रुति-अक्षराणि: the syllables/words of the Veda
• श्रुति-अक्षराणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (श्रुतेः अक्षराणि)

• निश्चित्य: having ascertained
• निश्चित्य: Kriya (Converb/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-√चि (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययीभाव/क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund)

• कारुण्यात्: out of compassion
• कारुण्यात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (हेतु/अपादान), एकवचनम्

• शंभुना: by Śambhu
• शंभुना: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• निर्मिता: was created
• निर्मिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√मा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगे—‘was created’

• तत्-द्रवैः: with those essences
• तत्-द्रवैः: Karana (Instrument/करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + द्रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तस्य द्रवैः = ‘with its essences/fluids’)

• एषा: this (she)
• एषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• गंगा: Gaṅgā
• गंगा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• गंगा-धरेण: by the bearer of Gaṅgā (Śiva)
• गंगा-धरेण: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गङ्गां धरतीति)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (as Śruti-drava)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muni (explicitly addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, compassionate, ‘selecting’ the Śruti-syllables; the akṣaras appear as luminous seed-letters transforming into a flowing river held in Śiva’s matted locks—Gaṅgā as liquid mantra.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Gaṅgā
• Gaṅgādhara
• Śruti (Veda)
• Agastya (listener implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Gaṅgā is grounded in Vedic sanctity: her purity is portrayed as arising from Śruti itself, shaped by Śiva’s compassion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā as a Veda-born tīrtha, especially revered in Kāśī’s spiritual topography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit instruction; the verse supports Gaṅgā-sevā (snāna, ācamana, tarpaṇa) as Veda-aligned and Śiva-sanctioned.