Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

यथान्याः सरितो लोके वारिपूर्णाः सहस्रशः । तथैषानानुमंतव्या सद्भिस्त्रिपथगामिनी

Transliteration

yathānyāḥ sarito loke vāripūrṇāḥ sahasraśaḥ | tathaiṣānānumaṃtavyā sadbhistripathagāminī

Translation

Though in the world there are thousands of other rivers full of water, this one—the Tripathagā who moves in the three paths—should not be regarded as merely the same by the virtuous.

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (उपमान/यथार्थ-सम्बन्धे)

• अन्याः: other
• अन्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (सरितः इति)

• सरितः: rivers
• सरितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण), एकवचनम्

• वारि-पूर्णाः: full of water
• वारि-पूर्णाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वारिणा पूर्णाः)

• सहस्रशः: by the thousands
• सहस्रशः: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (प्रकार/संख्या-अर्थे; distributive adverb)

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (तुलना/अन्वयार्थे)

• एषा: this (Gaṅgā)
• एषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अनुमन्तव्या: should be accepted/approved
• अनुमन्तव्या: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-√मन् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भाव्यकर्मणि/विधेयार्थे तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्तः (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अर्थः—‘अनुमन्तव्या’ = ‘to be approved/accepted’

• सद्भिः: by the good (people)
• सद्भिः: Kartr (Agent of obligation/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘सज्जनैः’ इत्यर्थे

• त्रि-पथ-गामिनी: the three-path-going one (Gaṅgā)
• त्रि-पथ-गामिनी: Apposition (विशेष्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + पथ (प्रातिपदिक) + गामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (त्रिषु पथेषु गामिनी)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tripathagā Gaṅgā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: sadbhis / addressed audience of the virtuous

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A comparative tableau: many rivers on earth, yet Gaṅgā shown as luminous Tripathagā—flowing simultaneously through heaven, earth, and nether realms—while sages gesture in instruction.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā (Tripathagā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual discernment is urged: Gaṅgā is not simply a physical river but a trans-cosmic tīrtha (Tripathagā) with exceptional purifying power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā as Tripathagā, central to Kāśī’s tīrtha identity in the Skanda Purāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it establishes why Gaṅgā is singled out for snāna, tarpaṇa, and other tīrtha observances.