Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

ततोपि पावनतरं तीर्थं तत्क्षणसिद्धिदम् । नीलग्रीवाख्यमतुलं तत्स्नायी सर्वदा शुचिः

Transliteration

tatopi pāvanataraṃ tīrthaṃ tatkṣaṇasiddhidam | nīlagrīvākhyamatulaṃ tatsnāyī sarvadā śuciḥ

Translation

അവയെക്കാളും അധികം പാവനമായ, ക്ഷണത്തിൽ തന്നെ സിദ്ധി നൽകുന്ന ഒരു തീർത്ഥം ഉണ്ട്. അതുലമായ ‘നീലഗ്രീവ’ എന്ന നാമമുള്ള അതിൽ സ്നാനം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ എപ്പോഴും ശുചിയാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ततः: than that; thereafter
• ततः: Apadana/Desha-Kala (Source/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमबोधक (from that/thereafter)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘even/also’ (emphasis)

• पावनतरम्: more purifying
• पावनतरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative)

• तीर्थम्: a tīrtha
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्क्षणसिद्धिदम्: granting accomplishment instantly
• तत्क्षणसिद्धिदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + क्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + द (√दा धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः; कृदन्तः ‘-दम्’ = ‘ददाति’; ‘तत्क्षणे सिद्धिं ददाति’

• नीलग्रीवाख्यम्: called ‘Nīlagrīva’
• नीलग्रीवाख्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीलग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (√ख्या धातु, नामधेये)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्त/तद्धितार्थ ‘आख्य’ = ‘called/named’; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नीलग्रीव इति आख्यम्)

• अतुलम्: incomparable
• अतुलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘तीर्थम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तत्: in that (tīrtha)
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे, एकवचन; ‘तत्स्नायी’ इत्यत्र पूर्वपदम्

• स्नायी: the bather
• स्नायी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्ना (√स्ना धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘स्नायी’ = one who bathes

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘स्नायी’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nīlagrīva-tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous Kāśī water-spot named Nīlagrīva; above it, a subtle vision of blue-throated Śiva (Nīlakaṇṭha) blessing the bather; the water shines as if instantly transmuting impurity into clarity; the devotee stands radiant, ‘ever pure’.

Characters & Entities

• Nīlagrīva-tīrtha
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Śuci (purity)
• Siddhi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Some sacred places are extolled as exceptionally potent—purity and spiritual efficacy are portrayed as immediate fruits of tīrtha-bathing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Nīlagrīva-tīrtha, praised as incomparable and instantly fruitful.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna—bathing at Nīlagrīva-tīrtha, which is said to confer constant purity.