Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 170

Devanagari script

एषा मंदाकिनी नाम दीर्घिका पुण्यतोयभूः । यस्यां कृतोदका मर्त्या मर्त्यलोके विशंति न

Transliteration

eṣā maṃdākinī nāma dīrghikā puṇyatoyabhūḥ | yasyāṃ kṛtodakā martyā martyaloke viśaṃti na

Translation

ഇത് ‘മന്ദാകിനി’ എന്ന പേരുള്ള പുണ്യജലജന്യമായ ദീർഘികയാണ്. ഇവിടെ ഉദകക്രിയ ചെയ്ത മർത്ത്യർ വീണ്ടും മർത്ത്യലോകത്തിലേക്ക് മടങ്ങുകയില്ല।

Word by Word

• एषा: this (she/this one)
• एषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मंदाकिनी: Mandākinī
• मंदाकिनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (नामनिर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नामार्थक अव्यय (particle meaning ‘by name’)

• दीर्घिका: a long pond/tank
• दीर्घिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पुण्यतोयभूः: having holy water
• पुण्यतोयभूः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य + तोय + भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पुण्यं तोयं यस्याः/यत्र)

• यस्याम्: in which
• यस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कृतोदकाः: those who have performed the water-rite/bath
• कृतोदकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कृतम् उदकम् येषाम् = who have performed the water-rite/bath)

• मर्त्याः: mortals
• मर्त्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• मर्त्यलोके: in the world of mortals
• मर्त्यलोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्यलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मर्त्यानां लोकः)

• विशन्ति: enter
• विशन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mandākinī

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene rectangular sacred pool labeled Mandākinī, lotus-filled, with pilgrims performing udaka-kriyā; subtle divine radiance rising from the water, suggesting ‘merit-born’ sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Mandākinī
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s tīrthas are portrayed as liberation-giving; sacred water rites performed with faith can lead beyond repeated worldly return.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Mandākinī dīrghikā (sacred tank/pool) in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kṛtodaka—performing a water-rite (ablution and/or libation-style sacred water observance) in the Mandākinī.