Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

वरणायास्तटे पूर्वे पूज्यं कुंतीश्वरं नृभिः । तत्पूजनात्प्रजायंते पुत्रा निजकुलोज्ज्वलाः

Transliteration

varaṇāyāstaṭe pūrve pūjyaṃ kuṃtīśvaraṃ nṛbhiḥ | tatpūjanātprajāyaṃte putrā nijakulojjvalāḥ

Translation

വരണാ നദിയുടെ കിഴക്കൻ തീരത്ത് മനുഷ്യർ കുന്തീശ്വരനെ പൂജിക്കണം. അവനെ ആരാധിച്ചതാൽ സ്വന്തം വംശത്തെ ദീപ്തമാക്കുന്ന പുത്രന്മാർ ജനിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• वरणायाः: of (the river) Varaṇā
• वरणायाः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तटे: on the bank
• तटे: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूर्वे: eastern
• पूर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with तटे)

• पूज्यम्: worthy to be worshipped
• पूज्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be worshipped’

• कुन्ती-ईश्वरम्: Kuntīśvara (Lord of Kuntī)
• कुन्ती-ईश्वरम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुन्ती (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नृभिः: by men
• नृभिः: Karta (Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तत्-पूजनात्: from worshipping that
• तत्-पूजनात्: Apadāna (Source/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अपादानार्थ (from the act of worship of that)

• प्रजायन्ते: are born / come into being
• प्रजायन्ते: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पुत्राः: sons
• पुत्राः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• निज-कुल-उज्ज्वलाः: illustrious in their own lineage
• निज-कुल-उज्ज्वलाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with पुत्राः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kuntīśvara

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A riverbank shrine on the Varaṇā: small liṅga sanctum with pilgrims offering water from the river; a householder couple praying for a son; banyan and steps leading to water.

Characters & Entities

• Varaṇā river
• Kuntīśvara (Śiva-liṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous worship at Kāśī’s riverbank shrines is praised as supporting household dharma, including the blessing of worthy progeny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kuntīśvara on the eastern bank of the Varaṇā river in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā (worship) of Kuntīśvara by devotees seeking family welfare and lineage-continuity.