Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

स्नात्वा विशालतीर्थे वै विशालाक्षीं प्रणम्य च । विशालां लभते लक्ष्मीं परत्रेह च शर्मदाम्

Transliteration

snātvā viśālatīrthe vai viśālākṣīṃ praṇamya ca | viśālāṃ labhate lakṣmīṃ paratreha ca śarmadām

Translation

നിശ്ചയമായി വിശാലതീർത്ഥത്തിൽ സ്നാനം ചെയ്ത് വിശാലാക്ഷീദേവിയെ പ്രണമിച്ചാൽ, ഇഹലോകത്തും പരലോകത്തും ശാന്തി നൽകുന്ന വിശാലമായ ലക്ഷ്മി ലഭിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव

• विशालतīर्थे: at Viśāla-tīrtha
• विशालतīर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाल + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• विशालाक्षीम्: Viśālākṣī
• विशालाक्षीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशालाक्षी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed to
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• विशालाम्: great/abundant
• विशालाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying लक्ष्मीम्)

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• लक्ष्मीम्: prosperity/fortune
• लक्ष्मीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• परत्र: in the other world/after death
• परत्र: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb: elsewhere/thereafter)

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb: here)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• शर्मदाम्: giving happiness/comfort
• शर्मदाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शर्मद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying लक्ष्मीम्)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśāla Tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (Kumbhaja)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims descend the ghāṭa steps into the Gaṅgā at dawn, then turn with wet garments to bow before Viśālākṣī’s sanctum; offerings of flowers, lamps, and red cloth evoke prosperity and peace.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Viśālatīrtha
• Viśālākṣī
• Lakṣmī
• Gaṅgā (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage becomes fruitful when joined with devotion: tīrtha-snān and reverent prostration bring both worldly well-being and spiritual assurance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Viśālatīrtha in Kāśī and the goddess Viśālākṣī associated with it.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathed at Viśālatīrtha (snāna) and bow to Viśālākṣī (praṇāma).