Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

त्रिलोचनाक्षिविक्षेप परिक्षिप्त महैनसि । स्नात्वा गृह्योक्तविधिना तर्पणीयान्प्रतर्प्य च

Transliteration

trilocanākṣivikṣepa parikṣipta mahainasi | snātvā gṛhyoktavidhinā tarpaṇīyānpratarpya ca

Translation

An jenem Ort — wo schwere Sünde schon durch den Blick des Dreiaugigen Herrn fortgeworfen wird — soll man, nachdem man nach der in den Gṛhya-Riten gelehrten Weise gebadet hat, auch Tarpaṇa den zu Befriedigenden darbringen (Ahnen und Gottheiten).

Word by Word

• त्रि-लोचन-अक्षि-विक्षेप-परिक्षिप्ते: in (the place) encompassed by the glance/throw of the three-eyed (Śiva)
• त्रि-लोचन-अक्षि-विक्षेप-परिक्षिप्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक) + परिक्षिप्त (कृदन्त; √क्षिप्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन / Past participle, Neuter, Locative singular (agreeing with 'तीर्थे' understood)

• महा-एनसि: in (the place) of great sin (i.e., sin-destroying context)
• महा-एनसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + एनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन / Neuter, Locative singular

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त / Gerund (absolutive): 'having bathed'

• गृह्य-उक्त-विधिना: by the procedure stated in the Gṛhya (rites)
• गृह्य-उक्त-विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह्य (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त; √वच्) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन / Masculine, Instrumental singular

• तर्पणीयान्: those who are to be satisfied (manes etc.)
• तर्पणीयान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्पणीय (कृदन्त; √तृप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन / Masculine, Accusative plural

• प्रतर्प्य: having duly satisfied
• प्रतर्प्य: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √तृप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त / Gerund (absolutive): 'having satisfied'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय / Conjunction

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Trisrotas-Pilipilā (under Trilocana’s grace)

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims waist-deep in clear confluence water; a subtle radiant eye-like beam from an unseen Śiva presence; on the bank, a devotee performs tarpaṇa with cupped hands, sesame and water flowing back to the river.

Characters & Entities

• Trilocana (Śiva)
• Gṛhya-vidhi (domestic ritual code)
• Tarpaṇa (libations)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s Śaiva sanctity is portrayed as immediate and powerful: Śiva’s presence removes grave sin, yet ritual purity is completed through prescribed bathing and tarpaṇa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the context of the Trisrotas/Pilipilā tīrtha region, emphasizing Trilocana’s sanctifying presence there in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform snāna according to Gṛhya rites, then do tarpaṇa for the appropriate recipients (typically pitṛs and devas).