Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

कूपवापीतडागानां कर्तारो निर्मलैर्धनैः । इह लोके महीयंते वारुणे वरुणप्रभाः

Transliteration

kūpavāpītaḍāgānāṃ kartāro nirmalairdhanaiḥ | iha loke mahīyaṃte vāruṇe varuṇaprabhāḥ

Translation

清らかで正しい財によって井戸・池・貯水の場を造る者は、この世において尊ばれ、ヴァルナの界においてヴァルナの光輝を帯びて輝く。

Word by Word

• कूप: well
• कूप: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• वापी: pond, reservoir
• वापी: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वापी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• तडागानाम्: of tanks/lakes
• तडागानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तडाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• कूपवापीतडागानाम्: of wells, ponds, and tanks
• कूपवापीतडागानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूप (प्रातिपदिक) + वापी (प्रातिपदिक) + तडाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (collective dvandva), षष्ठी बहुवचन; ‘of wells, ponds, and tanks’

• कर्तारः: makers, builders
• कर्तारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• निर्मलैः: pure, clean
• निर्मलैः: Karana (करण) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• धनैः: with wealth
• धनैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Desha/Adhikarana (देश/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb: here)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• महीयन्ते: are honored
• महीयन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मही (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—‘are honored’

• वारुणे: in Varuṇa’s (realm)
• वारुणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; विशेषण (लोके)

• वरुणप्रभाः: those radiant like Varuṇa
• वरुणप्रभाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘वरुणस्य प्रभा/प्रभावः’ (those having Varuṇa-like splendor)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: didactic praise within Kāśīkhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Varuṇa-loka (phala-sthāna)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Artisans and donors construct a well and a large tank; clear water reflects the sky; in the celestial register, Varuṇa’s realm glows as beneficiaries shine with watery splendor.

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Public welfare through water infrastructure is a high dharma; purity of means (nirmala dhana) is essential for lasting spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Varuṇa’s realm (Vāruṇa-loka) is highlighted as a meritorious destination; the teaching is embedded in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī-centered discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A dharmic prescription of dāna in action: constructing wells, ponds, and tanks using honest wealth for the benefit of all.