Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

तर्पणीतीर्थतीर्था च त्रिपथा त्रिदशेश्वरी । त्रिलोकगोप्त्री तोयेशी त्रैलोक्यपरिवंदिता

Transliteration

tarpaṇītīrthatīrthā ca tripathā tridaśeśvarī | trilokagoptrī toyeśī trailokyaparivaṃditā

Translation

Elle est le Tīrtha des offrandes et de l’apaisement, l’essence même de tous les tīrthas. Elle est Tripathā—celle qui coule dans les trois domaines—souveraine des devas, protectrice des trois mondes, reine des eaux, et vénérée à travers les trois mondes.

Word by Word

• तर्पणीतीर्थतीर्था: the sacred ford (tīrtha) of the Tarpaṇī-tīrtha
• तर्पणीतीर्थतीर्था: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्पणी-तीर्थ-तीर्था (प्रातिपदिक; तर्पणी + तीर्थ + तीर्था)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषः (तर्पणीतीर्थस्य तीर्था)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• त्रिपथा: the threefold path (name/epithet)
• त्रिपथा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिपथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• त्रिदशेश्वरी: sovereign goddess of the gods
• त्रिदशेश्वरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदश-ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक; त्रिदश + ईश्वरी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रिदशानाम् ईश्वरी)

• त्रिलोकगोप्त्री: protectress of the three worlds
• त्रिलोकगोप्त्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिलोक-गोप्त्री (प्रातिपदिक; त्रिलोक + गोप्त्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रिलोकस्य गोप्त्री)

• तोयेशी: mistress of waters
• तोयेशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय-ईशी (प्रातिपदिक; तोय + ईशी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तोयस्य ईशी)

• त्रैलोक्यपरिवंदिता: revered by the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यपरिवंदिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रैलोक्य-परिवन्दित (कृदन्त; √वन्द् (धातु) + परि + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि प्रयोगः; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (त्रैलोक्येन परिवन्दिता)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Tripathā) in Kāśī

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and other ṛṣis (traditional frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṅgā Devī enthroned on a makara, three streams descending—one to svarga, one to bhūmi at Kāśī’s ghāṭas, one to pātāla—while devas offer flowers; pilgrims perform tarpaṇa at the riverbank with kuśa and water-ladles.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Tripathā
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Gaṅgā is the supreme tīrtha—connecting realms and sustaining cosmic order—so worship at her banks carries exceptional merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā in Kāśī as the paradigmatic tīrtha for tarpaṇa and purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tarpaṇa is indicated (offerings of water for satisfaction, often for pitṛs and devas) as a key tīrtha practice.