Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 88

Devanagari script

योगोपनिषदामेतं सारमाकृष्य शंकरः । कृपया सर्वजंतूनां चकार सरितां वराम्

Transliteration

yogopaniṣadāmetaṃ sāramākṛṣya śaṃkaraḥ | kṛpayā sarvajaṃtūnāṃ cakāra saritāṃ varām

Translation

ശങ്കരൻ യോഗോപനിഷത്തുകളുടെ ഈ സാരം ആകർഷിച്ച്, സർവ്വജീവികളോടും കൃപകൊണ്ട്, നദികളിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠയായ ഈ സരിതയെ സൃഷ്ടിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• योग-उपनिषदाम्: of the Yoga Upaniṣads
• योग-उपनिषदाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + उपनिषद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (योगविषयकानाम् उपनिषदाम्)

• एतम्: this
• एतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘सारम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सारम्: essence
• सारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• आकृष्य: having drawn/extracted
• आकृष्य: Kriya (Converb/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-√कृष् (धातु) + क्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund)

• शंकरः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शंकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• कृपया: out of compassion
• कृपया: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; हेतौ/करणे—‘out of compassion’

• सर्व-जंतूनाम्: of all beings
• सर्व-जंतूनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—कर्मधारयः (सर्वे जन्तवः)

• चकार: made
• चकार: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• सरिताम्: of rivers
• सरिताम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘वराम्’ इत्यस्य षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः (among rivers)

• वराम्: the best (river)
• वराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्/विशेष्यभावे—‘श्रेष्ठाम् (सरितम्)’

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (saritaṃ varā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (contextual) sage audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śaṅkara draws out the ‘sāra’ of Yogopaniṣads—shown as subtle light or scroll-like radiance—transforming it into Gaṅgā, the supreme river, flowing to bless all beings (humans, animals, birds).

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Gaṅgā (implied)
• Yogopaniṣads

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The river is presented as condensed spiritual wisdom (Upaniṣadic essence) made accessible through compassion—linking yoga, scripture, and tīrtha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā, implicitly within Kāśī’s sacred domain where her presence is central to pilgrimage and purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse legitimizes Gaṅgā devotion as aligned with yogic and Upaniṣadic realization.