Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

अहोरात्रोषितो भूत्वा पंचगव्येन शुध्यति

Transliteration

ahorātroṣito bhūtvā paṃcagavyena śudhyati

Translation

After remaining so for a day and a night, one becomes purified by taking pañcagavya.

Word by Word

• अहोरात्रोषितः: having stayed for a day and night
• अहोरात्रोषितः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहोरात्र-उषित (कृदन्त; √वस्/उष् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (अहोरात्रे उषितः = having stayed for a day and night)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• पञ्चगव्येन: with pañcagavya (five cow-products)
• पञ्चगव्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-गव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्चानां गव्यानां समाहारः)

• शुध्यति: becomes purified
• शुध्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/pilgrims (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in a simple courtyard after a night’s observance receives pañcagavya from a priest; a small Gaṅgā-side shrine and ritual vessels appear, emphasizing restoration to worship.

Characters & Entities

• Pañcagavya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma provides restorative means of purification, emphasizing return to ritual fitness after lapse or contact.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s dharma discussion; it does not name a particular Kāśī tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prāyaścitta-style prescription: purification after one day and night using pañcagavya.