Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

अनाथवत्सलाऽमोघाऽपांयोनिरमृतप्रदा । अव्यक्तलक्षणाऽक्षोभ्या ऽनवच्छिन्नाऽपराजिता

Transliteration

anāthavatsalā'moghā'pāṃyoniramṛtapradā | avyaktalakṣaṇā'kṣobhyā 'navacchinnā'parājitā

Translation

നീ അനാഥവത്സല, കൃപയിൽ അമോഘ; ജലങ്ങളുടെ ആദിയോണി, അമൃതപ്രദായിനി. നിന്റെ ലക്ഷണങ്ങൾ അവ്യക്തം; നീ അക്ഷോഭ്യ, അവിഛിന്ന, അപരാജിത.

Word by Word

• अनाथवत्सला: affectionate to the helpless
• अनाथवत्सला: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाथ (प्रातिपदिक) + वत्सला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अनाथानां वत्सला)

• अमोघा: unfailing
• अमोघा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमोघा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपांयोनिः: source of waters
• अपांयोनिः: Visheshya (Qualified noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अपां योनिः)

• अमृतप्रदा: giver of nectar/immortality
• अमृतप्रदा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (अमृतं प्रददाति)

• अव्यक्तलक्षणा: of unmanifest characteristics
• अव्यक्तलक्षणा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अव्यक्तं लक्षणं यस्याः)

• अक्षोभ्या: unshakable
• अक्षोभ्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षोभ्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; न-उपसर्गयुक्त (not to be disturbed)

• अनवच्छिन्ना: uninterrupted
• अनवच्छिन्ना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनवच्छिन्ना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्त-आधारित विशेषण (वच्छिद्/छिद् धातोः)

• अपराजिता: unconquered
• अपराजिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपराजिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; न-उपसर्गयुक्त (not conquered)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution within Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (as Āpāṃ Yoni)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṅgā depicted as compassionate mother leaning toward helpless devotees on the ghāṭ steps; her form is subtle—half-seen in mist—yet her flow is steady and unconquered.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine compassion is especially directed toward the unprotected; Gaṅgā’s grace is described as steady, invincible, and spiritually life-giving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā as the supreme tīrtha within Kāśī’s sacred geography, the river whose presence defines pilgrimage and purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the verse functions as a stuti (praise) establishing Gaṅgā’s salvific qualities that undergird acts like snāna and japa.