Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

वीज्यमानोऽप्सरोवृंदैर्दिव्यगंधानुलेपनः । जगाम स्वर्गभुवनं गंगास्थिपतनाद्धरे

Transliteration

vījyamāno'psarovṛṃdairdivyagaṃdhānulepanaḥ | jagāma svargabhuvanaṃ gaṃgāsthipatanāddhare

Translation

അപ്സരാവൃന്ദങ്ങൾ വീശിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കെ, ദിവ്യസുഗന്ധങ്ങൾ പുരട്ടപ്പെട്ടവനായി, ഹേ ഹരി, ഗംഗയിൽ അസ്ഥി പതിച്ചതിന്റെ ഫലമായി അവൻ സ്വർഗ്ഗലോകത്തിലേക്ക് പോയി।

Word by Word

• वीज्यमानः: being fanned
• वीज्यमानः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीज् (धातु) + वीज्यमान (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्/Present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विजः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अप्सरो-वृन्दैः: by groups of apsarases
• अप्सरो-वृन्दैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वृन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष: अप्सरसां वृन्दैः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• दिव्य-गन्ध-अनुलेपनः: anointed with divine fragrance
• दिव्य-गन्ध-अनुलेपनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष: दिव्यगन्धेन अनुलेपनः/अनुलिप्तः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विजः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• स्वर्ग-भुवनम्: the heavenly world
• स्वर्ग-भुवनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष: स्वर्गस्य भुवनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गङ्गा-अस्थि-पतनात्: because of the falling (of his bones) into the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा-अस्थि-पतनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + पतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष: गङ्गायाम् अस्थीनां पतनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• हरे: O Hari
• हरे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara) (continuation of narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (asthi-patana in Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (dialogue frame within Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The dvija, now divine, is fanned by apsaras hosts; his body glows with fragrant unguents; below, the Gaṅgā receives bone-immersion offerings; above, the path opens to svarga.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Apsarases
• Svarga
• Hari (address)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse extols the salvific power of Gaṅgā-connected rites, presenting asthi-immersion as a potent act that elevates the departed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā as the supreme purifier, especially in the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s sacred-geography frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Asthi-patana/visarjana—casting the bones/ashes into the Gaṅgā—is indicated as a rite yielding heavenly attainment.