Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

ध्यातृपापहरा ध्येया धावनी धूतकल्मषा । धर्मधारा धर्मसारा धनदा धनवर्धिनी

Transliteration

dhyātṛpāpaharā dhyeyā dhāvanī dhūtakalmaṣā | dharmadhārā dharmasārā dhanadā dhanavardhinī

Translation

Elle efface les péchés de ceux qui la méditent ; elle est le but même de la contemplation. Elle s’élance, lavant l’impureté et rejetant toute souillure. Elle est le courant et l’essence du Dharma ; elle donne la richesse et accroît la prospérité.

Word by Word

• ध्यातृ-पाप-हरा: remover of the sins of meditators
• ध्यातृ-पाप-हरा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यातृ (ध्यै धातु, तृच्-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + हरा (हृ धातु, अण्/टाप्; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ध्यातॄणां पापं हरति)

• ध्येया: worthy of meditation
• ध्येया: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्येय (ध्यै धातु, यत्-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; यत्-कृदन्तः (to be meditated upon)

• धावनी: swift-flowing
• धावनी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धावनी (धाव् धातु, णी-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; शीघ्रगामिनी/प्रवाहिनी (swift-moving)

• धूत-कल्मषा: whose impurity is washed away; pure
• धूत-कल्मषा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धूत (धू धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त) + कल्मष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषः (धूतं कल्मषं यस्याः)

• धर्म-धारा: stream of dharma
• धर्म-धारा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य धारा)

• धर्म-सारा: whose essence is dharma
• धर्म-सारा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मः सारः यस्याः)

• धन-दा: giver of wealth
• धन-दा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (दा धातु, क्विप्/टाप्; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (धनं ददाति)

• धन-वर्धिनी: increaser of wealth
• धन-वर्धिनी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्धिनी (वृध् धातु, णिनी-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धनं वर्धयति)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśī-khaṇḍa context, commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṅgā as a luminous, fast-moving goddess-river; devotees seated in meditation on the ghāṭa, their sins depicted as dark mist dissolving in her spray; prosperity symbols (grain, coins) appear as her blessings.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Meditative remembrance purifies; devotion aligns one with dharma and brings both inner cleansing and outer well-being.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s devotional praise, reflecting Kāśī as a field of purification through remembrance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dhyāna (meditation) is implied as the practice—meditating on the Goddess removes sin.