Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 100

Devanagari script

गंगातीरे स्वशक्त्या यः कुर्याद्देवालयं सुधीः । अन्यतीर्थप्रतिष्ठातो भवेत्कोटिगुणं फलं

Transliteration

gaṃgātīre svaśaktyā yaḥ kuryāddevālayaṃ sudhīḥ | anyatīrthapratiṣṭhāto bhavetkoṭiguṇaṃ phalaṃ

Translation

Ein Weiser, der nach seinen Möglichkeiten am Ufer der Gaṅgā einen Tempel errichtet, erlangt eine Frucht, die hundertmillionenfach größer ist als die Stiftung an irgendeinem anderen Wallfahrtsort.

Word by Word

• गङ्गातीरे: on the bank of the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गातीरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा + तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘गङ्गायाः तीरे’

• स्वशक्त्या: by one’s own ability
• स्वशक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘स्वस्य शक्त्या’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should make/build
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• देवालयम्: a temple
• देवालयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सुधीः: a wise person
• सुधीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अन्यतीर्थप्रतिष्ठातः: than (a temple) established at another tīrtha
• अन्यतीर्थप्रतिष्ठातः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य + तीर्थ + प्रतिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘अन्यतीर्थे प्रतिष्ठातः (फलतः)’ इत्यर्थे

• भवेत्: would be/becomes
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कोटिगुणम्: crore-fold
• कोटिगुणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोटि + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (फलम्)

• फलम्: result/fruit
• फलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā-tīra (Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the Gaṅgā bank, patrons and artisans raise a small temple; priests perform consecration rites; the river flows beside, symbolizing enduring merit.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Devālaya (Temple)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred place amplifies sacred action; temple-building at Gaṅgā’s edge is portrayed as uniquely fruitful.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gaṅgā bank in Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is extolled as surpassing other tīrthas for temple consecration.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Constructing and establishing (pratiṣṭhā) a devālaya, done within one’s means (svaśaktyā).