Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

स्पृशेन्नापि यदा मंदस्तदा द्रक्ष्यति तृप्तये । एवं श्राद्धं विधायाथ स्पृष्ट्वा चंद्रेश्वरं व्रती । संतर्प्य विप्रांश्च यतीन्कुर्याद्वै पारणं ततः

Transliteration

spṛśennāpi yadā maṃdastadā drakṣyati tṛptaye | evaṃ śrāddhaṃ vidhāyātha spṛṣṭvā caṃdreśvaraṃ vratī | saṃtarpya viprāṃśca yatīnkuryādvai pāraṇaṃ tataḥ

Translation

Even if a dull-minded man does not so much as touch it, at least by beholding it he brings satisfaction. Thus, having performed śrāddha and then touching Candreśvara, the votary—after satisfying and honoring brāhmaṇas and ascetics—should thereafter duly perform pāraṇa, the breaking of the fast.

Word by Word

• स्पृशेत्: should touch
• स्पृशेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (even)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (when)

• मन्दः: slow/weak (in merit)
• मन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण (qualifies implied ‘नरः’)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• द्रक्ष्यति: will see
• द्रक्ष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् लकार; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तृप्तये: for (their) satisfaction
• तृप्तये: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदान (for satisfaction)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus, in this manner)

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

• विधाय: having performed
• विधाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकाल (having performed)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Sequencer/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• स्पृष्ट्वा: having touched
• स्पृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकाल (having touched)

• चंद्रेश्वरम्: Candreśvara
• चंद्रेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• व्रती: the vow-observer
• व्रती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृ

• संतर्प्य: having satisfied
• संतर्प्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + तृप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकाल (having satisfied/propitiated)

• विप्रान्: brāhmaṇas
• विप्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्म

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• यतीन्: ascetics
• यतीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्म

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle: indeed)

• पारणम्: concluding meal/ending of the vow (pāraṇa)
• पारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequencer/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमवाचक (thereafter/from that)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Candroda-tīrtha; Candreśvara

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A step-by-step tableau: (1) śrāddha at the pond, (2) the pilgrim touches the Candreśvara liṅga, (3) brāhmaṇas and saffron-clad ascetics are respectfully fed, (4) the pilgrim concludes with pāraṇa, calm and composed.

Characters & Entities

• Candroda-tīrtha (implied)
• Candreśvara
• vipra (brāhmaṇas)
• yatī (ascetics)
• pāraṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī pilgrimage is completed by a full dharmic arc: śrāddha, Śiva-contact, hospitality to the holy, and then mindful completion of the vow.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Candroda-tīrtha (by context) and Candreśvara in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

After śrāddha, touch (and/or behold) the sacred site, touch Candreśvara, feed brāhmaṇas and ascetics, and then perform pāraṇa (break the fast).