Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

महाश्रेयस्करं पुण्यं मनोरथकरं परम् । द्युनदीप्रीतिजनकं शिवसंतोषसंतति

Transliteration

mahāśreyaskaraṃ puṇyaṃ manorathakaraṃ param | dyunadīprītijanakaṃ śivasaṃtoṣasaṃtati

Translation

C’est un mérite suprême, source d’un grand bien ; il accomplit les nobles désirs. Il engendre la joie du fleuve céleste (Gaṅgā) et fait naître un flot continu de la satisfaction de Śiva.

Word by Word

• महाश्रेयस्करम्: bringing great welfare
• महाश्रेयस्करम्: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-श्रेयस्-कर (प्रातिपदिक; महा + श्रेयस् + कर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (महच्छ्रेयः करोति)

• पुण्यम्: merit; holy (thing)
• पुण्यम्: कर्ता/कर्म (Contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• मनोरथकरम्: fulfilling desires
• मनोरथकरम्: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोरथ-कर (प्रातिपदिक; मनस् + रथ > मनोरथ + कर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मनोरथं करोति)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• द्युनदीप्रीतिजनकम्: producing delight in the celestial river
• द्युनदीप्रीतिजनकम्: विधेय (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्युनदी-प्रीति-जनक (प्रातिपदिक; द्युनदी + प्रीति + जनक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्युनद्याः प्रीतिं जनयति)

• शिवसंतोषसंततिः: a continuous stream of Śiva’s satisfaction
• शिवसंतोषसंततिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-संतोष-संतति (प्रातिपदिक; शिव + संतोष + संतति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य संतोषस्य संततिः/प्रवाहः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages / qualified devotees

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṅgā personified as a radiant goddess rising subtly from the river, smiling as devotees chant; above, Śiva’s benign presence (or liṅga silhouette) indicates ‘Śiva-santoṣa-santati’—a continuous stream of satisfaction like the river’s flow.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā (Dyunadī)
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True tīrtha practice yields both worldly well-being (śreyas) and devotional fruit—pleasing Gaṅgā and Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā (the ‘heavenly river’) within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse describes results of the forthcoming practice rather than detailing steps: it grants puṇya, fulfills aims, and pleases Gaṅgā and Śiva.