Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

अक्षुण्णशक्तिरसुदाऽनंततीर्थाऽमृतोदका । अनंतमहिमाऽपाराऽनंतसौख्यप्रदाऽन्नदा

Transliteration

akṣuṇṇaśaktirasudā'naṃtatīrthā'mṛtodakā | anaṃtamahimā'pārā'naṃtasaukhyapradā'nnadā

Translation

നിന്റെ ശക്തി അക്ഷുണ്ണം; നീ ജീവപ്രദായിനി, അനന്ത തീർത്ഥങ്ങളാൽ സമ്പന്ന, അമൃതോദകസ്വരൂപിണി. നിന്റെ മഹിമ അനന്തവും അപാരവും; നീ അനന്തസൗഖ്യപ്രദായിനി, അന്നദായിനി.

Word by Word

• अक्षुण्णशक्तिः: undiminished power
• अक्षुण्णशक्तिः: Visheshya (Qualified noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षुण्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अक्षुण्णा शक्ति:)

• असुदा: giver of life
• असुदा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असु (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (असुं/प्राणान् ददाति)

• अनन्ततीर्था: having endless sacred fords
• अनन्ततीर्था: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अनन्तानि तीर्थानि यस्याः)

• अमृतोदका: whose water is nectar
• अमृतोदका: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अमृतम् इव उदकं यस्याः / अमृतं उदकं यस्याः)

• अनन्तमहिमा: of infinite greatness
• अनन्तमहिमा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + महिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अनन्तः महिमा यस्याः)

• अपारा: boundless
• अपारा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; न-उपसर्गयुक्त (without far shore)

• अनन्तसौख्यप्रदा: giver of endless happiness
• अनन्तसौख्यप्रदा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + सौख्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अनन्तं सौख्यं प्रददाति)

• अन्नदा: giver of food
• अन्नदा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (अन्नं ददाति)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution within Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Ananta-tīrthā) in Kāśī

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṅgā as infinite: countless small tīrtha-doors shimmering within her waters; she pours nectar-like water while devotees distribute food on the ghāṭs; an atmosphere of boundless joy.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is framed as inexhaustible: Gaṅgā’s sanctity is endless, sustaining life, joy, and dharmic welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā’s innumerable tīrthas—especially as experienced in Kāśī, where many ghāṭas and ford-points embody ‘ananta-tīrtha’.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse supports customary practices of snāna and sipping (ācamana) of Gaṅgā-jala as nectar-like.