Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

पंचतीर्थावलोकाच्च ततो विश्वेश्वरेक्षणात् । श्रद्धास्पर्शनपूजाभ्यां धूपदीपादिदानतः

Transliteration

paṃcatīrthāvalokācca tato viśveśvarekṣaṇāt | śraddhāsparśanapūjābhyāṃ dhūpadīpādidānataḥ

Translation

Durch das Schauen der fünf Tīrthas und danach durch den Blick auf Viśveśvara; durch fromme Berührung und Verehrung; und durch Gaben wie Weihrauch und Lichter—wächst das Verdienst in Kāśī immer weiter an.

Word by Word

• पञ्चतीर्थावलोकात्: from viewing the five tīrthas
• पञ्चतीर्थावलोकात्: Apadana (Source/Reason/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + अवलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; समासः—पञ्च-तीर्थ-अवलोक (पञ्चतीर्थस्य अवलोकनम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequencer)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अपादानार्थ (then/from that)

• विश्वेश्वरेक्षणात्: from beholding Viśveśvara
• विश्वेश्वरेक्षणात्: Apadana (Source/Reason/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; विश्व+ईश्वर, तत्पुरुष) + ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; समासः—विश्वेश्वर-ईक्षण

• श्रद्धास्पर्शनपूजाभ्याम्: by faith, touch, and worship
• श्रद्धास्पर्शनपूजाभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक) + स्पर्शन (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), द्विवचन; समासः—श्रद्धा-स्पर्शन-पूजा (समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व), ‘-भ्याम्’

• धूपदीपादिदानतः: from giving incense, lamps, etc.
• धूपदीपादिदानतः: Apadana (Source/Reason/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक) + दीप (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; समासः—धूप-दीप-आदि-दान

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Pañcatīrtha of Kāśī + Viśveśvara

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience seeking the ‘how’ of merit increase (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim group moving through five sacred spots (pañcatīrtha) marked by small shrines/ghats, then arriving at Viśveśvara; they touch the threshold reverently, perform pūjā, and offer incense and rows of lamps, the light rising like a staircase of merit.

Characters & Entities

• Pañcatīrtha
• Viśveśvara
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī rewards sacred sightseeing, Śiva-darśana, heartfelt worship, and simple offerings with escalating merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Pañcatīrtha in Kāśī and Viśveśvara (Lord of the Universe) as the culminating darśana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avalokana (visiting/seeing) of Pañcatīrtha, Viśveśvara-īkṣaṇa, sparśa and pūjā with dhūpa, dīpa, and related dāna.