Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

तत्र स्नानेन दानेन श्रद्धया द्विजभोजनैः । जपहोमार्चनैः पुंसामक्षयं सर्वमेव हि

Transliteration

tatra snānena dānena śraddhayā dvijabhojanaiḥ | japahomārcanaiḥ puṃsāmakṣayaṃ sarvameva hi

Translation

Là—par le bain rituel, l’aumône, les actes accomplis avec foi, le repas offert aux brāhmaṇas, et par le japa, le homa et le culte—tout devient pour l’homme un mérite impérissable.

Word by Word

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

• स्नानेन: by bathing
• स्नानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• दानेन: by giving (charity)
• दानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• द्विजभोजनैः: by feeding the twice-born (brahmins)
• द्विजभोजनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• जपहोमार्चनैः: by japa, homa, and worship
• जपहोमार्चनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक) + होम (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• पुंसाम्: of men
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• अक्षयम्: imperishable
• अक्षयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg)

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारणार्थक निपात (particle of emphasis)

• हि: for; indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक निपात (particle: for/indeed)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A composite ritual tableau: pilgrims bathing; a donor giving food and coins; brāhmaṇas seated for bhojana; a small homa fire; a devotee performing liṅga-arcana—unified by a radiant ‘akṣaya’ aura.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• dvija (brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharmic acts are performed in a sanctified tīrtha with śraddhā, their spiritual fruit becomes ‘akṣaya’—enduring and transformative.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse refers to the sanctity of the previously mentioned Kāśī tīrtha-context (Svarlīna/Svarlīneśvara vicinity), emphasizing its power to make merits imperishable.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (bathing), dāna (charity), dvijabhojana (feeding brāhmaṇas), japa (recitation), homa (oblations), and arcana (worship), all done with śraddhā.