Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अस्त्युपाय इह त्वेकः स्याद्येनाविकलं फलम् । स्नानस्य देवसरितो महागुह्यतमो मुने

Transliteration

astyupāya iha tvekaḥ syādyenāvikalaṃ phalam | snānasya devasarito mahāguhyatamo mune

Translation

Pourtant, il est ici un unique moyen par lequel le fruit devient parfait : un enseignement très secret, ô sage, concernant le mérite du bain dans le fleuve divin.

Word by Word

• अस्ति: there is
• अस्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; (present, 3rd singular, active)

• उपायः: a means
• उपायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (nominative singular)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (adversative particle)

• एकः: one, single
• एकः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (उपायः इति पदस्य विशेषण); (masc nom sg)

• स्यात्: would be / may be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/विधान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; (optative, 3rd singular, active)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; (instrumental singular: 'by which')

• अविकलम्: undiminished, complete
• अविकलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (फलम् इति पदस्य विशेषण); (neuter nom/acc sg)

• फलम्: fruit, result
• फलम्: Karma/Phala (Result/फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (neuter nom/acc sg)

• स्नानस्य: of bathing
• स्नानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; (genitive singular)

• देवसरितः: of the divine river
• देवसरितः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (देवानां सरित्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; (genitive singular)

• महागुह्यतमः: most secret and great
• महागुह्यतमः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-गुह्य-तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (महान् गुह्यतमः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (masc nominative singular)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; (vocative singular)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Devasarit)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Addressed as ‘mune’ (sage); immediate addressee not fully identified in excerpt

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A hush falls as the teacher leans toward the sage, indicating a confidential instruction; Gaṅgā flows nearby under moonlight, suggesting secrecy and completeness of merit through inner method.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā (deva-sarit)
• Muni (sage; deduced: Agastya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When direct access is limited, Purāṇic dharma also transmits ‘upāyas’—authorized methods to attain full merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The divine river Gaṅgā, whose snāna-phala is being discussed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A ‘secret means’ is announced (details follow in subsequent verses) to secure complete bathing merit.