Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

निर्जले जलदातारः परसंतापहारिणः । अर्थिभ्यो ये प्रयच्छंति चित्रच्छत्रकमंडलून्

Transliteration

nirjale jaladātāraḥ parasaṃtāpahāriṇaḥ | arthibhyo ye prayacchaṃti citracchatrakamaṃḍalūn

Translation

Diejenigen, die Wasser spenden, wo kein Wasser ist, und so das Leid anderer nehmen, und die den Bittzenden schöne Schirme und Wassergefäße (Kamandalu) für Reisende schenken,—

Word by Word

• निर्जले: in a waterless (place)
• निर्जले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः ‘न जलं यस्मिन्’

• जलदातारः: givers of water
• जलदातारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + दातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘जलस्य दातारः’

• परसंतापहारिणः: removers of others’ suffering
• परसंतापहारिणः: Karta (कर्ता) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + संताप (प्रातिपदिक) + हारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘परस्य संतापं हरन्ति’ (removers of others’ distress)

• अर्थिभ्यः: to supplicants
• अर्थिभ्यः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• प्रयच्छन्ति: give, bestow
• प्रयच्छन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘to give/bestow’

• चित्र: variegated, splendid
• चित्र: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग; विशेषणार्थ

• छत्र: umbrella
• छत्र: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग

• कमण्डलून्: water-pots
• कमण्डलून्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमण्डलु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• चित्रछत्रकमण्डलून्: splendid umbrellas and water-pots
• चित्रछत्रकमण्डलून्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + छत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कमण्डलु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (copulative), द्वितीया बहुवचन; ‘splendid umbrellas and water-pots’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: continuing praise of water-related charity in Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sun-scorched road with weary travelers; a donor offers cool water, a fine umbrella, and a kamaṇḍalu-like water-pot; faces brighten as suffering lifts.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Relieving thirst and travel hardship is a direct form of compassion; dharma is expressed through practical service to those in need.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tirtha is named; the teaching supports the Skanda Purana’s wider pilgrimage ethos, especially within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna is prescribed in concrete forms: offering water in dry places and gifting umbrellas and kamaṇḍalu to seekers and travelers.