Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

धर्मलभ्या धर्मजला धर्मप्रसवधर्मिणी । ध्यानगम्यस्वरूपा च धरणी धातृपूजिता

Transliteration

dharmalabhyā dharmajalā dharmaprasavadharmiṇī | dhyānagamyasvarūpā ca dharaṇī dhātṛpūjitā

Translation

Ia dicapai melalui Dharma; airnya sendiri adalah Dharma, dan Ia melahirkan kebajikan seraya tetap senantiasa dharmis. Hakikat wujudnya dicapai lewat meditasi. Ia adalah Dharanī, Bumi yang menopang semua, dan Ia pun dipuja oleh Sang Dhātrī.

Word by Word

• धर्म-लभ्या: attainable through dharma
• धर्म-लभ्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + लभ्या (लभ् धातु, यत्-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; यत्-कृदन्तः; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मेण लभ्यते)

• धर्म-जला: whose water is dharma; dharma-watered
• धर्म-जला: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मरूपं जलं यस्याः / धर्मस्य जलम्)

• धर्म-प्रसव-धर्मिणी: possessing dharma that gives birth to dharma
• धर्म-प्रसव-धर्मिणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसव (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य प्रसवः यस्याः; धर्मयुक्ता)

• ध्यान-गम्य-स्वरूपा: whose true form is reached by meditation
• ध्यान-गम्य-स्वरूपा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + गम्य (गम् धातु, यत्-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ध्यानेन गम्यं स्वरूपं यस्याः)

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

• धरणी: the Earth; bearer
• धरणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• धातृ-पूजिता: worshipped by Dhātrī/the sustainer(s)
• धातृ-पूजिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजिता (पूज् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्तः; तत्पुरुषः (धात्रा पूजिता / धातृभिः पूजिता)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśī-khaṇḍa context, commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā in Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm dawn scene: Gaṅgā as a serene goddess whose waters are inscribed with subtle ‘dharma’ motifs; meditators sit in stillness; Earth imagery (mountain-like steadiness, supportive hands) suggests dharaṇī; a divine figure (Dhātṛ/Brahmā as ‘sustainer’) offers reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Dharaṇī
• Dhātṛ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma and meditation are the two gateways: right living and inner contemplation reveal the Goddess’s true nature.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

It aligns with Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s sanctification of Kāśī’s dharmic waters and meditative power, though no single tirtha is named.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditation (dhyāna) is indicated as the means to realize her form; no detailed rite is specified.