Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

कुश प्रतिकृतिं कृत्वा तीर्थवारिणि मज्जयेत् । मज्जयेच्च यमुद्दिश्य सोष्टमांशं लभेत वै

Transliteration

kuśa pratikṛtiṃ kṛtvā tīrthavāriṇi majjayet | majjayecca yamuddiśya soṣṭamāṃśaṃ labheta vai

Translation

Having fashioned a representation from kuśa grass, one should immerse it in the waters of the tīrtha. If one immerses it with Yama in mind, one indeed obtains an eighth share of the full tīrtha-merit.

Word by Word

• कुश: kuśa grass
• कुश: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन (कुशम् इति अर्थः; पदपाठे रूप-लोपः)

• प्रतिकृतिम्: an effigy/representation
• प्रतिकृतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-कृति (प्रातिपदिक); प्रति + कृति
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘प्रतिरूपा कृतिः’ (a likeness/effigy)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त, पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; ‘having made’

• तीर्थवारिणि: in the tīrtha-water
• तीर्थवारिणि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-वारि (प्रातिपदिक); तीर्थ + वारि
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘तीर्थस्य वारि’ (tīrtha-water)

• मज्जयेत्: should immerse
• मज्जयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मज्ज् (धातु) (णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative: ‘should immerse’)

• मज्जयेत्: should immerse
• मज्जयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मज्ज् (धातु) (णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; पुनरुक्ति

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उद्दिश्य: intending/dedicating to
• उद्दिश्य: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-दिश् (धातु) → उद्दिश्य (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (ल्यप्), ‘having intended/addressed (for)’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अष्टमांशम्: an eighth part
• अष्टमांशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टम-अंश (प्रातिपदिक); अष्टम + अंश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास

• लभेत: would obtain/should obtain
• लभेत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Generic tīrtha-jala (within Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim on the ghat crafts a small human-shaped effigy from kuśa grass, holds it with mantra, and gently immerses it into the tīrtha waters, contemplating Yama.

Characters & Entities

• Kuśa
• Tīrtha
• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even symbolic tīrtha-acts carry dharmic efficacy, though the merit is proportionate and graded.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Any tīrtha-water (tīrthavāri) recognized in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Making a kuśa-grass effigy and immersing it in tīrtha waters, dedicating the act with Yama in mind.