Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

श्रद्धोपस्पर्शि दृदयलिंग त्रितयहेतुभिः । अज्ञानतिमिरार्काभैर्ज्ञानदान निदायकैः

Transliteration

śraddhopasparśi dṛdayaliṃga tritayahetubhiḥ | ajñānatimirārkābhairjñānadāna nidāyakaiḥ

Translation

শ্ৰদ্ধাৰে স্পৰ্শিত কৰ্মসমূহে—পূজাৰ ত্ৰিবিধ লক্ষণৰ কাৰণস্বৰূপ—আৰু অজ্ঞানৰ তিমিৰ নাশ কৰা সূৰ্যসম দীপ্তিমান জ্ঞান-দানৰ দ্বাৰা,

Word by Word

• śraddhā-upasparśi: (that which is) touched by faith / faith-contacting
• śraddhā-upasparśi: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक) + upasparśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (ending -i, upasparśin-śabda) — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; adjectival

• hṛdaya-liṅga-tritaya-hetubhiḥ: by causes of the triad of heart and liṅga
• hṛdaya-liṅga-tritaya-hetubhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + tritaya (प्रातिपदिक) + hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; adjectival (hetu-śabda)

• ajñāna-timira-arka-ābhaiḥ: by (things) having the radiance of a sun to the darkness of ignorance
• ajñāna-timira-arka-ābhaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ajñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + timira (प्रातिपदिक) + arka (प्रातिपदिक) + ābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; adjectival (ābha-śabda)

• jñāna-dāna: gift of knowledge
• jñāna-dāna: Karma/Viśeṣya (Object/Qualified noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

• nidāyakaiḥ: by those who bestow/provide
• nidāyakaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni-√dā (धातु) + -yaka (कृत् प्रत्यय) → nidāyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्तरि कृदन्त (ण्वुल्/यक-प्रत्ययार्थक) — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; agentive derivative

Speaker

Narrative context (Kāśī Khaṇḍa tradition: Skanda to Agastya); immediate speaker not explicit in this verse

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Faith-filled practice and the gift of knowledge are portrayed as powerful forces that remove the darkness of ignorance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kāśīkhaṇḍa Adhyāya 33, the wider passage culminates in the glorification of Śiva-tīrtha/Jñānoda in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It highlights jñāna-dāna—offering or imparting knowledge—as a meritorious act aligned with tīrtha-mahātmya.