Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

कान्यकुब्जपुरं प्राप्य कतिभिर्वासरैर्नृप । गंगोपकण्ठे न्यवसञ्छ्रांतास्ते मोढवाडवाः

Transliteration

kānyakubjapuraṃ prāpya katibhirvāsarairnṛpa | gaṃgopakaṇṭhe nyavasañchrāṃtāste moḍhavāḍavāḥ

Translation

Ô Roi, après avoir atteint en quelques jours la cité de Kānyakubja, ces brāhmaṇas Moḍha, épuisés, prirent demeure sur la rive de la sainte Gaṅgā.

Word by Word

• कान्यकुब्जपुरम्: the city of Kānyakubja
• कान्यकुब्जपुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्यकुब्ज (प्रातिपदिक) + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — “कान्यकुब्जस्य पुरम्”

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-√आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• कतिभिः: by how many
• कतिभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कति (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक/प्रश्नवाचक विशेषण (वासरैः इति)

• वासरैः: days
• वासरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• गङ्गोपकण्ठे: on the bank of the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गोपकण्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — “गङ्गायाः उपकण्ठे”

• न्यवसन्: they dwelt/stayed
• न्यवसन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√वस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्रान्ताः: weary
• श्रान्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रान्त (कृदन्त; √श्रम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (ते इति)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मोढवाडवाः: the Moḍha Vāḍavas (a group of people)
• मोढवाडवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोढ (प्रातिपदिक) + वाडव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः — “मोढाः वाडवाः” (a named group/people)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator continuing the story)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā-taṭa at Kānyakubja

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Addressed ‘nṛpa’ within the narrative frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Weary Moḍha brāhmaṇas arrive at Kānyakubja and settle on the Gaṅgā bank—simple shelters, prayerful posture, the river flowing serenely, city silhouettes behind.

Characters & Entities

• Kānyakubja
• Gaṅgā
• Moḍha brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Gaṅgā’s banks are portrayed as a natural refuge for the distressed, highlighting sacred geography as spiritual support.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gaṅgā’s riverbank (gaṅgopakāṇṭa) at Kānyakubja is emphasized as a sanctified place of rest and recourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse implies the sanctity of staying near Gaṅgā, a common Purāṇic marker of merit.