Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

पानीयशालिकाः कुर्युर्नानोपस्करसंयुताः । दद्युर्धर्मघटांश्चापि सुगंधोदकपूरितान्

Transliteration

pānīyaśālikāḥ kuryurnānopaskarasaṃyutāḥ | dadyurdharmaghaṭāṃścāpi sugaṃdhodakapūritān

Translation

Sie sollen Trinkwasserstationen einrichten, mit mancherlei Bedarf ausgestattet; und auch «Dharma-Töpfe» spenden — Krüge, gefüllt mit duftendem Wasser, um der Rechtschaffenheit willen.

Word by Word

• पानीयशालिकाः: drinking-water booths/sheds
• पानीयशालिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पानीय-शालिका (प्रातिपदिक; पानीय + शालिका)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पानीयस्य शालिका)

• कुर्युः: should make
• कुर्युः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• नाना: various
• नाना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषणार्थे ‘various’

• उपस्कर: equipment, utensils
• उपस्कर: Upapada (Qualifier component)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपस्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (नानोपस्कर- इत्यत्र)

• संयुताः: provided/combined (with)
• संयुताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-युज् (धातु) → संयुत (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘युक्त/समन्वित’

• दद्युः: should give
• दद्युः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• धर्मघटान्: pots for pious use (charity pots)
• धर्मघटान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-घट (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + घट)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मार्थं/धर्मस्य घटाः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘also/even’ (particle)

• सुगन्धोदकपूरितान्: filled with fragrant water
• सुगन्धोदकपूरितान्: Visheshana (Qualifier of ‘धर्मघटान्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुगन्ध-उदक-पूरित (प्रातिपदिक; सुगन्ध + उदक + पूरित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘पूरित’ = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; तत्पुरुषसमासः (सुगन्धेन उदकेन पूरितान्)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A shaded roadside water-rest station near Kāśī’s approach lanes: earthen pots filled with cool, fragrant water, ladles, and pilgrims receiving water; a donor arranging supplies as an act of dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Serving travelers with water and necessities is praised as direct dharma that generates puṇya, especially in sacred Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader sacred field of Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, where acts of charity gain heightened merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Establishing drinking-water stations and donating fragrant-water-filled dharma-pots for public benefit.