Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अज्ञानतापसंतप्त प्राणिप्राणैकरक्षिभिः । पंचामृतानां कलशैः स्नपनातिफलप्रदैः

Transliteration

ajñānatāpasaṃtapta prāṇiprāṇaikarakṣibhiḥ | paṃcāmṛtānāṃ kalaśaiḥ snapanātiphalapradaiḥ

Translation

Avec des aiguières des cinq amṛta—protecteurs du souffle même des êtres brûlés par la chaleur de l’ignorance—il accomplit l’ablution sacrée, dispensant un fruit extrêmement grand.

Word by Word

• अज्ञानतापसंतप्त: tormented by the heat of ignorance
• अज्ञानतापसंतप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + ताप (प्रातिपदिक) + संतप्त (कृदन्त; √तप्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (अज्ञानस्य तापेन संतप्तः); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (सम्बोधन/वर्णनार्थं)

• प्राणिप्राणैकरक्षिभिः: with (those) protecting the very life of creatures
• प्राणिप्राणैकरक्षिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (प्राणिनां प्राणान् एकेन रक्षन्ति ये); पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• पंचामृतानाम्: of the five nectars (pañcāmṛta)
• पंचामृतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या) + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च अमृतानि); नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• कलशैः: with pots
• कलशैः: Karana (Instrument/करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• स्नपनातिफलप्रदैः: granting exceedingly great fruit from bathing (ablution)
• स्नपनातिफलप्रदैः: Karana (Instrument/करणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नपन (प्रातिपदिक) + अति (अव्यय) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (स्नपनस्य अति-फलम् प्रददाति ये); पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Śiva-snāpana with pañcāmṛta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Golden pitchers filled with pañcāmṛta are lifted; streams of white, honeyed, and translucent liquids pour in layered ribbons during snāpana; the devotee’s face shows relief as the ‘heat of ignorance’ is visually rendered as fading red haze.

Characters & Entities

• Pañcāmṛta
• Śiva-liṅga
• Ajñāna (ignorance)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ignorance is a burning affliction; Śiva-abhiṣeka—especially with pañcāmṛta—symbolizes cooling, healing, and life-protecting grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), where liṅga-worship and abhiṣeka are praised as exceptionally merit-giving.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pañcāmṛta-snapana (pañcāmṛta abhiṣeka)—bathing the liṅga with the five nectars using kalaśas.