Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

प्रपा कार्या च वैशाखे देवे देया गलंतिका । उपानद्व्यजनं छत्रं सूक्ष्मवासांसि चन्दनम्

Transliteration

prapā kāryā ca vaiśākhe deve deyā galaṃtikā | upānadvyajanaṃ chatraṃ sūkṣmavāsāṃsi candanam

Translation

En Vaiśākha, qu’on établisse une prapā, un abri public d’eau potable ; et dans le culte, qu’on offre une galaṃtikā, filtre à eau. Qu’on donne aussi des sandales, un éventail, une ombrelle, des vêtements fins et du bois de santal.

Word by Word

• prapā: a water-shed (drinking booth)
• prapā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prapā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; पानार्थं जलवितरण-स्थानम् (water-shed/drinking booth)

• kāryā: should be made
• kāryā: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + ya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम् (to be made/should be made)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• vaiśākhe: in Vaiśākha
• vaiśākhe: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśākha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कालवाचकः (in Vaiśākha)

• deve: to the deity
• deve: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (Dative/4th), एकवचनम्; देवाय (to a deity)

• deyā: should be given
• deyā: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dā (धातु) + ya (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम् (to be given/should be given)

• galaṃtikā: a dripping water device (for water-giving)
• galaṃtikā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: galaṃtikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; जलस्राविणी/जलधारा-यन्त्रविशेषः (a dripping water-device/strainer; context: water-donation implement)

• upānadvyajanam: sandals and a fan
• upānadvyajanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upānah (प्रातिपदिक) + vyajana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उपानद् च व्यजनं च (sandals and fan)

• chatram: umbrella
• chatram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (umbrella)

• sūkṣmavāsāṃsi: fine garments
• sūkṣmavāsāṃsi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūkṣma (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सūkṣmāni vāsāṃsi (fine garments)

• candanam: sandalwood
• candanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (sandalwood)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (public prapā sites)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A shaded roadside near Kāśī ghats: a decorated prapā with earthen pots and ladles; pilgrims drinking; a devotee offers a galaṃtikā at a shrine; donors distribute sandals, fans, umbrellas, cloth, and sandal paste.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśākha
• Deva
• Prapā
• Galaṃtikā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is expressed as compassion-in-action—relieving heat and thirst for pilgrims and honoring the deity with purity and care.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction belongs to the Kāśī Khaṇḍa milieu, reflecting the pilgrimage ethos of Kāśī, though it is framed as a general Vaiśākha observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Establish a prapā (water-station) in Vaiśākha; offer a water-strainer in worship; donate sandals, fan, umbrella, fine clothes, and sandalwood.