Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

नियमस्नानतीर्थं च चक्रपुष्करिणी मम । तत्र स्नानवतां पुंसां तन्नैर्मल्यं दिशाम्यहम्

Transliteration

niyamasnānatīrthaṃ ca cakrapuṣkariṇī mama | tatra snānavatāṃ puṃsāṃ tannairmalyaṃ diśāmyaham

Translation

Mon tīrtha du bain prescrit est la Cakra-Puṣkariṇī ; à ceux qui s’y baignent, Moi-même j’accorde cette pureté sans tache.

Word by Word

• नियमस्नानतीर्थम्: the sacred bathing-place of (ritual) observance
• नियमस्नानतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम + स्नान + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नियमस्य स्नानस्य तीर्थम्)

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

• चक्रपुष्करिणी: the Cakra-pond (named Puṣkariṇī)
• चक्रपुष्करिणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र + पुष्करिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular); कर्मधारयः (चक्ररूपा पुष्करिणी)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive, Singular); सर्वनाम

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• स्नानवताम्: of those who bathe
• स्नानवताम्: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नानवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural); विशेषण (qualifying पुंसाम्)

• पुंसाम्: of men/people
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुम्स्/पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular); विशेष्य-निर्देश (correlative)

• नैर्मल्यम्: purity/spotlessness
• नैर्मल्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैर्मल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• दिशामि: I bestow/point out
• दिशामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दिश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (I indicate/bestow)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative, Singular); सर्वनाम

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cakra-Puṣkariṇī (Niyama-snāna-tīrtha)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims/seekers; within Kāśī-khaṇḍa frame often addressed to sages (e.g., Nārada/Śaunaka tradition varies by adhyāya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene sacred tank (puṣkariṇī) in Kāśī; pilgrims descend stone steps at dawn, offering water-arghya; a subtle Śiva-presence blessing purity.

Characters & Entities

• Cakra-puṣkariṇī
• Niyama-snāna-tīrtha
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Disciplined bathing at a Kāśī tīrtha is portrayed as a direct means to inner purity granted by divine grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Niyama-snāna-tīrtha identified as Skanda’s Cakra-Puṣkariṇī (sacred pond) in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing) performed with niyama—regulated observance and restraint.