Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

सर्वं गंगासमं तोयं सर्वे ब्रह्मसमा द्विजाः । सर्वं देयं स्वर्णसमं राहुग्रस्ते दिवाकरे

Transliteration

sarvaṃ gaṃgāsamaṃ toyaṃ sarve brahmasamā dvijāḥ | sarvaṃ deyaṃ svarṇasamaṃ rāhugraste divākare

Translation

ദിവാകരനായ സൂര്യൻ രാഹുവാൽ ഗ്രസിക്കപ്പെടുമ്പോൾ, എല്ലാ ജലവും ഗംഗാസമം, എല്ലാ ദ്വിജരും ബ്രഹ്മസമം, ഓരോ ദാനവും സ്വർണ്ണദാനസമം ആകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• सर्वम्: all; everything
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• गङ्गासमम्: equal to the Gaṅgā
• गङ्गासमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गङ्गा + सम (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.); उपमान-तत्पुरुषः (गङ्गायाः समम्)

• तोयम्: water
• तोयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ब्रह्मसमाः: equal to Brahmā
• ब्रह्मसमाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + सम (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); उपमान-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्मणः समाः)

• द्विजाः: Brāhmaṇas (twice-born)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वम्: all; everything
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• देयम्: to be given; fit for donation
• देयम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• स्वर्णसमम्: equal to gold
• स्वर्णसमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ण + सम (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.); उपमान-तत्पुरुषः (स्वर्णस्य समम्)

• राहुग्रस्ते: when seized by Rāhu
• राहुग्रस्ते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राहु + ग्रस्त (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (राहुणा ग्रस्तः)

• दिवाकरे: in the sun
• दिवाकरे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Grahaṇa-kāla (eclipse-time) as a ‘moving tīrtha’ principle

Type: sangam

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: Rāhu’s shadow over the Sun; below, diverse landscapes—pond, well, river—each shimmering like Gaṅgā; brāhmaṇas radiate Brahmā-like aura; donors offer simple gifts that glow like gold.

Characters & Entities

• Rāhu
• Divākara (Sūrya)
• Gaṅgā
• Brahmā
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Eclipse-time is portrayed as a spiritually intensified window where ordinary offerings and supports become extraordinarily meritorious.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā is invoked as the benchmark of sanctity; the teaching applies broadly during an eclipse, within Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

To give dāna during an eclipse, honoring water (for snāna/ritual use) and brāhmaṇas as especially sanctified at that time.