Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

स्पृष्ट्वा कलावती तां तु वापीं चित्रगतामपि । लेभे भवांतरज्ञानं यथासीत्पूर्वर्जन्मनि

Transliteration

spṛṣṭvā kalāvatī tāṃ tu vāpīṃ citragatāmapi | lebhe bhavāṃtarajñānaṃ yathāsītpūrvarjanmani

Translation

When Kalāvatī touched that well—though it was only present within the painted depiction—she gained knowledge of another existence, just as it had been in her former birth.

Word by Word

• स्पृष्ट्वा: having touched
• स्पृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया—‘स्पर्शं कृत्वा’

• कलावती: Kalāvatī
• कलावती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलावती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्ता

• ताम्: that (her/it)
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘वापीम्’ इत्यस्य अन्वयः

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• वापीम्: the well/pond
• वापीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वापी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• चित्र-गताम्: situated in/within a painting
• चित्र-गताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त; √गम् (धातु))
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘वापीम्’

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• लेभे: obtained/attained
• लेभे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• भव-अन्तर-ज्ञानम्: knowledge of another existence (past life)
• भव-अन्तर-ज्ञानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकार-वाचक अव्यय (as/just as)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पूर्व-जन्मनि: in the former birth
• पूर्व-जन्मनि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locus)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jñānavāpī

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kalāvatī reaches out and touches a painted depiction of Jñānavāpī; at the moment of contact, a subtle aura or light indicates awakening of past-life knowledge.

Characters & Entities

• Kalāvatī
• Jñānavāpī
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sanctity of Kāśī’s tīrthas is so potent that even symbolic contact can awaken deep karmic memory and insight.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Jñānavāpī in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Touch (sparśa) connected to the tīrtha is highlighted; it implies reverent contact as a devotional act.