Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

घंटाकर्णे महातीर्थे श्राद्धं कृत्वा विधानतः । अपि दुर्गतिमापन्नानुद्धरेत्सप्तपूर्वजान्

Transliteration

ghaṃṭākarṇe mahātīrthe śrāddhaṃ kṛtvā vidhānataḥ | api durgatimāpannānuddharetsaptapūrvajān

Translation

Am großen Tīrtha von Gaṇṭākarṇa kann man, wenn man das Śrāddha nach der vorgeschriebenen Ordnung vollzieht, selbst sieben Vorfahren, die in einen unheilvollen Zustand gefallen sind, emporheben.

Word by Word

• घण्टाकर्णे: at Ghaṇṭākarṇa
• घण्टाकर्णे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घण्टा-कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महातीर्थे: at the great sacred ford (tīrtha)
• महातीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), ‘having done’

• विधानतः: according to prescribed procedure
• विधानतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधानतस् (अव्यय; विधान + तस्)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb): ‘according to rule/procedure’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle): ‘even’

• दुर्गतिम्: bad state, misfortune
• दुर्गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आपन्नान्: fallen into, afflicted by
• आपन्नान्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आपन्न (प्रातिपदिक; √आपद् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् ‘सप्तपूर्वजान्’ इत्यस्य

• उद्धरेत्: should lift up, deliver
• उद्धरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सप्तपूर्वजान्: seven ancestors
• सप्तपूर्वजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त-पूर्वज (प्रातिपदिक; सप्त + पूर्वज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṇṭākarṇa

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (Kumbhaja)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: On the bank of Gaṇṭākarṇa tīrtha, a householder performs śrāddha with kuśa grass, piṇḍas, and water offerings; subtle ancestral figures appear in the background receiving uplift.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇṭākarṇa Tīrtha
• Ancestors (pūrvaja)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma performed at a sanctified tīrtha extends beyond the self, benefiting one’s lineage and ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṇṭākarṇa Mahātīrtha in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing śrāddha there in accordance with proper injunctions (vidhi).