Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मशाप विनिर्दग्धान्सर्वान्राजर्षिसत्तमः । महता तपसा भूमिमानिनाय त्रिवर्त्मगाम्

Transliteration

brahmaśāpa vinirdagdhānsarvānrājarṣisattamaḥ | mahatā tapasā bhūmimānināya trivartmagām

Translation

That best of royal seers, through great austerity, brought down to the earth the (Gaṅgā) who moves along the three paths, for the sake of all those scorched by Brahmā’s curse.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मशाप: Brahmā’s curse
• ब्रह्मशाप: Hetu/Nimitta (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्+शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः ब्रह्मणः शापः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विनिर्दग्धान्: burnt up, scorched
• विनिर्दग्धान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+निर्+दह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• राजर्षिसत्तमः: the best of royal sages
• राजर्षिसत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजर्षि+सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः राजर्षीणां सत्तमः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• महता: by great
• महता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• तपसा: austerity, penance
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• भूमिम्: the earth
• भूमिम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• आनिनाय: brought (down/near)
• आनिनाय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+नी (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• त्रिवर्त्मगाम्: moving in the three paths (heaven/earth/netherworld)
• त्रिवर्त्मगाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि+वर्त्म+गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः त्रिषु वर्त्मसु गच्छतीति (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (context continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Trivartma-gā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhagīratha’s tapas culminates in the miraculous descent of Gaṅgā, envisioned as a radiant river-goddess traversing three realms to cleanse the curse-burnt.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Bhagīratha
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Severe tapas undertaken for others’ welfare is celebrated as a world-benefiting dharmic act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā’s descent is the prelude to her sanctifying presence in Kāśī and Maṇikarṇikā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) as the means to invoke divine grace and accomplish sacred aims.