Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 97

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मतीर्थं ततः पुण्यं वीरब्रह्मेश्वरात्पुरः । ब्रह्मविद्यामवाप्नोति तत्र स्नानेन मानवः

Transliteration

brahmatīrthaṃ tataḥ puṇyaṃ vīrabrahmeśvarātpuraḥ | brahmavidyāmavāpnoti tatra snānena mānavaḥ

Translation

Darauf folgt das heilige Brahma-tīrtha, vor Vīra-brahmeśvara. Durch das Bad dort erlangt der Mensch brahma-vidyā, die Erkenntnis Brahmans.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मतीर्थम्: Brahma-tirtha (sacred ford of Brahmā)
• ब्रह्मतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मणः तीर्थम्)

• ततः: then; thereafter; from there
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (ततः = thereafter/from there)

• पुण्यम्: holy; meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (ब्रह्मतीर्थम्)

• वीरब्रह्मेश्वरात्: from (the shrine of) Vīra-brahmeśvara
• वीरब्रह्मेश्वरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर + ब्रह्म + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (वीरब्रह्मेश्वरः)

• पुरः: in front; ahead
• पुरः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (पूर्वतः/समक्षम् = in front of)

• ब्रह्मविद्याम्: knowledge of Brahman
• ब्रह्मविद्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मणः विद्या)

• अवाप्नोति: attains; obtains
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (there)

• स्नानेन: by bathing
• स्नानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• मानवः: a man; human
• मानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahma-tīrtha (before Vīra-brahmeśvara)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (ṛṣis/śaunaka-group in purāṇic frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at dawn bathes in a small sacred water-spot labeled Brahma-tīrtha, with Vīra-brahmeśvara’s liṅga-shrine visible ahead; subtle radiance suggests awakening of brahma-vidyā.

Characters & Entities

• Brahma-tīrtha
• Vīra-brahmeśvara
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s tīrthas are not only for merit but for jñāna—ritual purity is linked to awakening higher knowledge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Brahma-tīrtha, located before Vīra-brahmeśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna at Brahma-tīrtha; the stated fruit is attainment of brahma-vidyā.