Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

अधिष्ठानं महामेरोर्महापातकनाशनम् । तत्र स्नात्वार्चयित्वेशं किंचिद्दत्त्वा स्वशक्तितः

Transliteration

adhiṣṭhānaṃ mahāmerormahāpātakanāśanam | tatra snātvārcayitveśaṃ kiṃciddattvā svaśaktitaḥ

Translation

Dies ist der eigentliche Sitz des großen Meru, ein Vernichter schwerer Sünden. Nachdem man dort gebadet, den Herrn verehrt und nach eigener Kraft etwas gegeben hat…

Word by Word

• अधिष्ठानम्: the abode/seat
• अधिष्ठानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिष्ठान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• महामेरोः: of Mahāmeru
• महामेरोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामेरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; समासः: महा + मेरु

• महापातकनाशनम्: destroyer of great sins
• महापातकनाशनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापातक-नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः: महापातकस्य नाशनम् = ‘destroyer of great sins’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• अर्चयित्वा: having worshipped
• अर्चयित्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); णिच्-प्रत्ययार्थे (causative/denominative sense) ‘having worshipped’

• ईशम्: the Lord (Śiva)
• ईशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• किञ्चित्: something/a little
• किञ्चित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किञ्चित् (सर्वनाम/अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; अनिश्चित-परिमाण (indefinite ‘something/a little’)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having given’

• स्वशक्तितः: according to one’s ability
• स्वशक्तितः: Hetu/Upāya (Means/हेतु-उपाय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्व-शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘according to one’s power’; समासः: स्व + शक्ति

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Parvata-tīrtha (Meru-adhiṣṭhāna) near Parvateśvara

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred pool/river-edge spot marked as Meru’s seat; the pilgrim bathes, then offers bilva and lamp to a Śiva-liṅga, then places a small donation into a mendicant’s hands—emphasizing 'svāśakti'. A faint cosmic mountain (Meru) silhouette rises behind the shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Meru (symbolic sacred seat)
• Īśa (Śiva)
• Parvata-tīrtha/Parvateśvara context

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification is completed by a threefold dharma: bathing, worship of Īśa, and charity within one’s means.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A tīrtha described as the ‘seat of Mahāmeru’ within the Kāśī pilgrimage circuit (following Parvateśvara/Parvata-tīrtha context).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (bathing), Īśa-arcana (worship of Śiva), and dāna (giving) according to one’s capacity.