Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

श्रुत्यक्षराणि निश्चित्य कारुण्याच्छंभुना मुने । निर्मिता तद्द्रवैरेषा गंगा गंगाधरेण वै

Transliteration

śrutyakṣarāṇi niścitya kāruṇyācchaṃbhunā mune | nirmitā taddravaireṣā gaṃgā gaṃgādhareṇa vai

Translation

Oh sabio, por compasión Śambhu determinó las sílabas de la Śruti y, de su misma esencia hecha fluida, formó esta Gaṅgā—en verdad por el propio Gaṅgādhara.

Word by Word

• श्रुति-अक्षराणि: the syllables/words of the Veda
• श्रुति-अक्षराणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (श्रुतेः अक्षराणि)

• निश्चित्य: having ascertained
• निश्चित्य: Kriya (Converb/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि-√चि (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययीभाव/क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund)

• कारुण्यात्: out of compassion
• कारुण्यात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (हेतु/अपादान), एकवचनम्

• शंभुना: by Śambhu
• शंभुना: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• निर्मिता: was created
• निर्मिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√मा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगे—‘was created’

• तत्-द्रवैः: with those essences
• तत्-द्रवैः: Karana (Instrument/करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + द्रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तस्य द्रवैः = ‘with its essences/fluids’)

• एषा: this (she)
• एषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• गंगा: Gaṅgā
• गंगा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• गंगा-धरेण: by the bearer of Gaṅgā (Śiva)
• गंगा-धरेण: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गङ्गां धरतीति)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (as Śruti-drava)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muni (explicitly addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, compassionate, ‘selecting’ the Śruti-syllables; the akṣaras appear as luminous seed-letters transforming into a flowing river held in Śiva’s matted locks—Gaṅgā as liquid mantra.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Gaṅgā
• Gaṅgādhara
• Śruti (Veda)
• Agastya (listener implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Gaṅgā is grounded in Vedic sanctity: her purity is portrayed as arising from Śruti itself, shaped by Śiva’s compassion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā as a Veda-born tīrtha, especially revered in Kāśī’s spiritual topography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit instruction; the verse supports Gaṅgā-sevā (snāna, ācamana, tarpaṇa) as Veda-aligned and Śiva-sanctioned.