Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

धर्मलभ्या धर्मजला धर्मप्रसवधर्मिणी । ध्यानगम्यस्वरूपा च धरणी धातृपूजिता

Transliteration

dharmalabhyā dharmajalā dharmaprasavadharmiṇī | dhyānagamyasvarūpā ca dharaṇī dhātṛpūjitā

Translation

അവൾ ധർമ്മത്തിലൂടെ ലഭ്യമാകുന്നവൾ; അവളുടെ ജലം തന്നെയാണ് ധർമ്മം, ധർമ്മം പ്രസവിച്ചാലും അവൾ സദാ ധർമ്മിണി. അവളുടെ സ്വരൂപം ധ്യാനത്തിലൂടെ ഗമ്യം; അവൾ ധരണി, ധാത്രിയാൽ പൂജിത.

Word by Word

• धर्म-लभ्या: attainable through dharma
• धर्म-लभ्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + लभ्या (लभ् धातु, यत्-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; यत्-कृदन्तः; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मेण लभ्यते)

• धर्म-जला: whose water is dharma; dharma-watered
• धर्म-जला: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मरूपं जलं यस्याः / धर्मस्य जलम्)

• धर्म-प्रसव-धर्मिणी: possessing dharma that gives birth to dharma
• धर्म-प्रसव-धर्मिणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसव (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य प्रसवः यस्याः; धर्मयुक्ता)

• ध्यान-गम्य-स्वरूपा: whose true form is reached by meditation
• ध्यान-गम्य-स्वरूपा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + गम्य (गम् धातु, यत्-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ध्यानेन गम्यं स्वरूपं यस्याः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• धरणी: the Earth; bearer
• धरणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• धातृ-पूजिता: worshipped by Dhātrī/the sustainer(s)
• धातृ-पूजिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजिता (पूज् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-कृदन्तः; तत्पुरुषः (धात्रा पूजिता / धातृभिः पूजिता)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśī-khaṇḍa context, commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā in Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm dawn scene: Gaṅgā as a serene goddess whose waters are inscribed with subtle ‘dharma’ motifs; meditators sit in stillness; Earth imagery (mountain-like steadiness, supportive hands) suggests dharaṇī; a divine figure (Dhātṛ/Brahmā as ‘sustainer’) offers reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Dharaṇī
• Dhātṛ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma and meditation are the two gateways: right living and inner contemplation reveal the Goddess’s true nature.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

It aligns with Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s sanctification of Kāśī’s dharmic waters and meditative power, though no single tirtha is named.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Meditation (dhyāna) is indicated as the means to realize her form; no detailed rite is specified.