Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

सूर्यवंशे महातेजा राजा परमधार्मिकः । आरिराधयिषुर्गंगां तपसे कृतनिश्चयः

Transliteration

sūryavaṃśe mahātejā rājā paramadhārmikaḥ | ārirādhayiṣurgaṃgāṃ tapase kṛtaniścayaḥ

Translation

सूर्यवंश में एक महातेजस्वी, परमधार्मिक राजा ने गंगा को प्रसन्न करने हेतु तपस्या करने का दृढ़ निश्चय किया।

Word by Word

• सूर्यवंशे: in the Solar dynasty
• सूर्यवंशे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य + वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• महातेजाः: of great splendor
• महातेजाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महातेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमधार्मिकः: supremely righteous
• परमधार्मिकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + धार्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• आरिराधयिषुः: wishing to propitiate
• आरिराधयिषुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-राध् (धातु)
• Form: इच्छार्थक-तुमुन्/इषु-प्रत्ययान्त (Desiderative agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (one wishing to propitiate)

• गंगाम्: Gaṅgā
• गंगाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• तपसे: for austerity, for penance
• तपसे: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• कृतनिश्चयः: having made a firm resolve
• कृतनिश्चयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘कृत’ + संज्ञा; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing speech in Adhyāya 27 context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Himavān (Himalaya) as tapas-kṣetra; Gaṅgā as the invoked tīrtha

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viṣṇu

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant Sūryavaṃśa king, Bhagīratha, stands at the threshold of renunciation—crown set aside in spirit—vowing austerities to please Gaṅgā for the sake of his ancestors.

Characters & Entities

• Sūryavaṃśa
• Bhagīratha (implied)
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous resolve and disciplined tapas are portrayed as the means to invoke divine grace for the welfare of many.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā is central; within Kāśīkhaṇḍa this supports the sanctity of Gaṅgā in the Kāśī landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) undertaken with firm resolve to propitiate Gaṅgā.