Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

जलाभिलाषिणी बाला न मनागपि सा पिबत् । कुशाग्रतोयपृषतं पंचाग्निपरितापिता

Transliteration

jalābhilāṣiṇī bālā na manāgapi sā pibat | kuśāgratoyapṛṣataṃ paṃcāgniparitāpitā

Translation

Bien qu’elle fût une enfant avide d’eau, elle ne buvait pas même un peu : seulement une goutte retenue à la pointe d’un brin de kuśa, tandis que l’ascèse des cinq feux la brûlait.

Word by Word

• जल-अभिलाषिणी: desiring water
• जल-अभिलाषिणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिलाषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (जलं अभिलाषयति)

• बाला: the girl
• बाला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध निपात (negation particle)

• मनाक्: even slightly
• मनाक्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मनाक् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक अव्यय (adverb) ‘even a little’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/समुच्चय निपात (particle) ‘even/also’

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पिबत्: drank
• पिबत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु √पा)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; छान्दस/वैदिक रूप ‘पिबत्’ = ‘अपिबत्’

• कुश-अग्र-तोय-पृषतम्: a drop of water on the tip of a kusa grass
• कुश-अग्र-तोय-पृषतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तोय (प्रातिपदिक) + पृषत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (कुशस्य अग्रे स्थितं तोयस्य पृषतम्)

• पञ्च-अग्नि-परितापिता: heated by the five fires
• पञ्च-अग्नि-परितापिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + परि-तप् (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय) ‘परितापित’ = ‘tormented/heated’; तत्पुरुषः (पञ्चाग्निभिः परितापिता)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (tapovana)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The maiden, surrounded by four blazing fires and the overhead sun, holds a kuśa blade with a tiny droplet; her parched lips and unwavering gaze show thirst mastered by vow.

Characters & Entities

• kuśa
• pañcāgni
• tapo-vana
• Kāśī (Kṣetra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mastery over craving—especially under hardship—is a central mark of tapas and inner purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī Kṣetra’s tapovana context continues, presenting the region as a support for rigorous ascetic vows.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pañcāgni-tapas is continued; additionally, strict restraint in drinking water is implied as part of her vow.