Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

टीकिताशेषपाताला टंकिकैनोद्रिपाटने । टंकारनृत्यत्कल्लोला टीकनीयमहातटा

Transliteration

ṭīkitāśeṣapātālā ṭaṃkikainodripāṭane | ṭaṃkāranṛtyatkallolā ṭīkanīyamahātaṭā

Translation

She makes even the nether realms resound and strikes down mountains with the force of her torrent. With waves that dance to a ringing clang, she is the great riverbank worthy of contemplation and reverent gaze.

Word by Word

• टीकिताशेषपाताला: whose (sound/force) reaches all the netherworlds
• टीकिताशेषपाताला: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: टीकित (कृदन्त; √टीक्/√टीकय् धातु? ध्वन्यनुकरण/देश्य) + अशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + पाताल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषः (अशेषं पातालं टीकितं/टीकितवत् यस्याः)

• टंकिकैनोद्रिपाटने: in the splitting/cleaving by a chisel-like tool (ṭaṃkikā)
• टंकिकैनोद्रिपाटने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: टंकिका (प्रातिपदिक) + एन (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय?; instrument marker in compounds) + उद्रि (प्रातिपदिक; uncertain) + पाटन (प्रातिपदिक; √पट्/√पाट्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः; पदं स्थानवाचकं (…पाटने = पाटने/पाटने काले/स्थाने)

• टंकारनृत्यत्कल्लोला: whose waves dance with the ‘ṭaṃkāra’ sound
• टंकारनृत्यत्कल्लोला: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: टंकार (प्रातिपदिक) + नृत्यत् (कृदन्त; √नृत् धातु, शतृ) + कल्लोल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (टंकारेण नृत्यन्तः कल्लोलाः यस्याः/या)

• टीकनीयमहातटा: she of the great, noteworthy bank
• टीकनीयमहातटा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: टीकनीय (कृदन्त; √टीक्/√टीकय्?; ‘to be marked/indicated’, uncertain) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (टीकनीयः महातटः/महातटा)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā-taṭa (Kāśī ghāṭa-banks)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kāśī-māhātmya audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dramatic Gaṅgā with towering, dancing waves that seem to ring like metal; the sound reverberates through underworld caverns; the riverbank is shown as a sacred terrace where sages meditate.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Gaṅgā is depicted as irresistibly powerful—her force symbolizes the ability of tīrtha to break obstacles and transform the seeker.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā’s great banks (mahātaṭa) in Kāśī—i.e., the sacred ghāṭas used for snāna and worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly encourages tīrtha-sevā (reverent approach to the riverbanks) and meditative viewing; no explicit rite is stated.