Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

वदंति पितरः काश्यां घंटाकर्णेमलेजले । दाता तिलोदकस्यापि वंशे नः कोपि जायते

Transliteration

vadaṃti pitaraḥ kāśyāṃ ghaṃṭākarṇemalejale | dātā tilodakasyāpi vaṃśe naḥ kopi jāyate

Translation

Die Ahnen sprechen: „In Kāśī, an Gaṇṭākarṇas makellosem Wasser, wird selbst der, der nur Tilodaka (Sesamwasser) darbringt, zu einem Glied unseres Geschlechts.“

Word by Word

• वदन्ति: they say
• वदन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पितरः: the ancestors
• पितरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• काश्याम्: in Kāśī
• काश्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• घण्टाकर्णे: at/in (the place called) Ghaṇṭākarṇa
• घण्टाकर्णे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घण्टा + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• मले: in the impurity/filth
• मले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• जले: in the water
• जले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• दाता: a giver
• दाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दा (धातु) + तृ (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तरि-तृन्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तिलोदकस्य: of sesame-water (tilodaka)
• तिलोदकस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), अर्थः—'even/also'

• वंशे: in the lineage
• वंशे: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• नः: of us/our
• नः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• कः: someone/anyone (who)
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun)

• अपि: any (at all)
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), अर्थः—'any/even' (with interrogative)

• जायते: is born/arises
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (reporting the statement of the Pitṛs)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṇṭākarṇa-tīrtha (amala-jala)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (Contextually) Agastya and/or the assembled sages (as in adjacent verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a clear sacred waterbody in Kāśī, a pilgrim offers tilodaka with cupped hands; subtle presence of pitṛs receiving the offering, blessing the lineage.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (ancestors)
• Kāśī
• Gaṇṭākarṇa
• Tilodaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even simple offerings, when made in a consecrated place with dharmic intent, earn deep ancestral approval and spiritual kinship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṇṭākarṇa’s pure waters in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offering tilodaka (sesame-water libation) for the ancestors.