Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

कुतो जलानामधिप शिवभक्तस्य बालकः । प्रजापतेः कर्दमस्य महाभागस्य धीमतः

Transliteration

kuto jalānāmadhipa śivabhaktasya bālakaḥ | prajāpateḥ kardamasya mahābhāgasya dhīmataḥ

Translation

«Comment l’enfant de ce grand et sage Prajāpati Kardama, dévot de Śiva, pourrait-il être atteint, ô seigneur des eaux ?»

Word by Word

• कुतः: how/whence
• कुतः: Sambandha (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative adverb: whence/how)

• जलानाम्: of waters
• जलानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Genitive plural)

• अधिपः: lord
• अधिपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• शिवभक्तस्य: of Shiva’s devotee
• शिवभक्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘शिवस्य भक्तः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive singular)

• बालकः: a boy/child
• बालकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• प्रजापतेः: of Prajāpati
• प्रजापतेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• कर्दमस्य: of Kardama
• कर्दमस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• महाभागस्य: of the very fortunate/noble
• महाभागस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘महान् भागः यस्य’ इति बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रचलितः, रूपतः कर्मधारयवत्; विशेषण (Genitive singular)

• धीमतः: of the wise
• धीमतः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; विशेषण (Genitive singular masculine)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; within the verse a Rudra-like figure is speaking)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fierce divine speaker points toward the waters, invoking Kardama’s greatness and Śiva-bhakti as an unassailable claim; the river-lord is put on trial by devotion itself.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Kardama (Prajāpati)
• Jalānām adhipa (lord of waters)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion to Śiva is portrayed as a protective spiritual power; cosmic rulers must respect the dharmic standing of Śiva’s devotees.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse focuses on the devotee’s status within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative rather than naming a particular tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.