Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

अश्रद्धयापि यः स्नातो मणिकर्ण्यां विधानतः । सोपि पुण्यमवाप्नोति स्वर्गप्राप्तिकरं परम्

Transliteration

aśraddhayāpi yaḥ snāto maṇikarṇyāṃ vidhānataḥ | sopi puṇyamavāpnoti svargaprāptikaraṃ param

Translation

Selbst wer in Maṇikarṇikā nach der rechten Vorschrift badet, auch ohne Glauben, erlangt Verdienst (puṇya) — höchstes Verdienst, das unmittelbar zum Himmel führt.

Word by Word

• अश्रद्धया: with lack of faith
• अश्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः (श्रद्धा-रहितत्वम्) — Instrumental singular (by/with lack of faith)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे (even/also)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सूचक सर्वनाम — Relative pronoun, nominative singular

• स्नातः: (has) bathed
• स्नातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; past passive participle — ‘having bathed/bathed’

• मणिकर्ण्याम्: in Maṇikarṇī (tīrtha)
• मणिकर्ण्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणिकर्णी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; अधिकरण — Locative singular (in Maṇikarṇī)

• विधानतः: according to the prescribed rite
• विधानतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (अव्ययीभाव-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb): ‘according to rule/prescription’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम — Demonstrative pronoun, nominative singular

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

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्म — Accusative singular (merit)

• अवाप्नोति: attains
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन — Present indicative, 3rd sg: ‘attains’

• स्वर्गप्राप्तिकरम्: causing attainment of heaven
• स्वर्गप्राप्तिकरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग-प्राप्ति-कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वर्गस्य प्राप्तिः) + उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (प्राप्ति-करः = प्राप्तिं करोति); ‘स्वर्गप्राप्तिं करोति’ — Accusative singular qualifying ‘पुण्यम्’

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण — Accusative singular (supreme) qualifying ‘पुण्यम्’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Maṇikarṇikā

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Umā/Devī (implied in surrounding Kāśī discourse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims descend stone steps to Maṇikarṇikā waters at dawn; priests guide simple rites; the ghāṭa’s intense sacred atmosphere contrasts with the bather’s inner doubt, while the tīrtha’s radiance remains unwavering.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇikarṇikā
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s Maṇikarṇikā tīrtha is so potent that properly performed bathing yields great merit even when personal faith is weak.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Maṇikarṇikā (the famed sacred bathing place in Vārāṇasī/Kāśī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing) performed vidhānataḥ—according to the prescribed method.