Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

संगमेश्वरमालोक्य तत्प्राच्याम जायतेनघः । चतुर्मुखेन विधिना तत्पूर्वेण चतुर्मुखम्

Transliteration

saṃgameśvaramālokya tatprācyāma jāyatenaghaḥ | caturmukhena vidhinā tatpūrveṇa caturmukham

Translation

Wer Saṅgameśvara erblickt und dann nach Osten von ihm geht, wird sündenlos. Dort, nach der Satzung des Viergesichtigen (Caturmukha, Brahmā), und noch weiter östlich, befindet sich das Heiligtum namens „Caturmukha“.

Word by Word

• संगमेश्वरम्: Saṅgameśvara
• संगमेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संगम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; देवतावाचक-नाम

• आलोक्य: having beheld
• आलोक्य: Purvakala-Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+√लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• तत्: in that
• तत्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘प्राच्याम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्राच्याम्: in the east
• प्राच्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राची (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• जायते: is born/arises
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• अनघः: sinless, faultless
• अनघः: Kriya-Phala (Result state/फल-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (कर्ता-विशेषणम्)

• चतुर्मुखेन: by Caturmukha (Brahmā)
• चतुर्मुखेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ब्रह्मवाचक-नाम

• विधिना: by the prescribed rite/method
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• तत्: by that
• तत्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ‘पूर्वेण’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पूर्वेण: by/with the former (one); to the east of that
• पूर्वेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; दिशावाचक/क्रमवाचक

• चतुर्मुखम्: Caturmukha (Brahmā)
• चतुर्मुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ब्रह्मवाचक-नाम

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Saṅgameśvara; Caturmukha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim beholds Saṅgameśvara; the atmosphere suggests a symbolic confluence—streams of light meeting at the liṅga. Then the pilgrim walks east to a shrine named Caturmukha, where Brahmā’s four faces are depicted as sanctioning the ritual order.

Characters & Entities

• Saṅgameśvara
• Brahmā (Caturmukha)
• Caturmukha (shrine/site)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s tīrthas are portrayed as purifying milestones: sequential darśana along the sacred directions culminates in inner cleansing (anaghatā).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Saṅgameśvara, and the eastward shrine named Caturmukha associated with Brahmā (Caturmukha).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana (ālokana) and moving eastward in a prescribed sequence is implied; explicit mantras or offerings are not specified.