Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

स्कदं उवाच । श्रद्धावतां स्वभक्तानामुपसर्गे महत्यपि । नोपायांतरमस्त्येव विनेश चरणोदकम्

Transliteration

skadaṃ uvāca | śraddhāvatāṃ svabhaktānāmupasarge mahatyapi | nopāyāṃtaramastyeva vineśa caraṇodakam

Translation

സ്കന്ദൻ പറഞ്ഞു— ശ്രദ്ധയുള്ള സ്വഭക്തർക്കു മഹാ ദുരിതം വന്നാലും, ഈശ്വരന്റെ പാദോദകം ഒഴികെ സത്യത്തിൽ മറ്റൊരു പരിഹാരവും ഇല്ല.

Word by Word

• स्कन्दम्: Skanda
• स्कन्दम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्रद्धावताम्: of the faithful
• श्रद्धावताम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्धावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; ‘स्वभक्तानाम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• स्वभक्तानाम्: of (His) own devotees
• स्वभक्तानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य भक्ताः)

• उपसर्गे: in calamity/affliction
• उपसर्गे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• महति: great
• महति: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘उपसर्गे’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• अपि: even
• अपि: Modifier (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अप्यर्थे/अवधारण-समुच्चय

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

• उपायान्तरम्: another remedy
• उपायान्तरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (उपायस्य अन्तरम् = अन्य उपायः)

• अस्ति: exists/is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Modifier (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात, अवधारणार्थक

• विना: without
• विना: Exclusion marker (वर्जन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपपद-अव्यय (preposition), तृतीया/पञ्चमी-अर्थे; ‘वर्जने’

• ईश: of the Lord
• ईश: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘चरणोदकम्’ इत्यस्य सम्बन्धः

• चरणोदकम्: water from (His) feet
• चरणोदकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (चरणस्य उदकम्)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhagavat-caraṇodaka (Śiva-pāda-udaka)

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda, radiant and youthful, instructs listeners in a sacred setting of Kāśī, holding a small vessel symbolizing pāda-udaka; devotees listen with folded hands, the atmosphere solemn yet reassuring.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Īśa (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

For the faithful, the highest refuge in distress is devotion expressed through contact with the Lord’s sanctified pāda-tīrtha (caraṇodaka).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa frame, the verse glorifies Śaiva sacred practice in Kāśī—especially the saving power of consecrated water associated with the Lord.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Reliance upon and use of caraṇodaka (pāda-tīrtha/charanāmṛta) as the principal upāya in adversity.