Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

प्रसन्नवदनस्तिष्ठेद्भक्तस्तद्दर्शनाच्छुभात् । तदुत्तरे प्रसन्नोदं कुंडं नैर्मल्यदं नृणाम्

Transliteration

prasannavadanastiṣṭhedbhaktastaddarśanācchubhāt | taduttare prasannodaṃ kuṃḍaṃ nairmalyadaṃ nṛṇām

Translation

അതിന്റെ ശുഭദർശനത്താൽ ഭക്തന്റെ മുഖം പ്രസന്നമായി—ശാന്തവും പ്രകാശവുമുള്ളതായി—മാറുന്നു. അതിന്റെ വടക്കായി ‘പ്രസന്നോദ’ എന്ന കുളം ഉണ്ട്; അത് മനുഷ്യർക്കു നിർമലത നൽകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• प्रसन्नवदनः: one with a serene face
• प्रसन्नवदनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (प्रसन्नं वदनं यस्य)

• तिष्ठेत्: should remain/stand
• तिष्ठेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भक्तः: a devotee
• भक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; (genitive singular neuter)

• दर्शनात्: from seeing (it)
• दर्शनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• शुभात्: from the auspicious (result)
• शुभात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; (ablative: from auspiciousness)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; (genitive singular neuter)

• उत्तरे: to the north (of it)
• उत्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• प्रसन्नोदम्: pleasant-watered; refreshing
• प्रसन्नोदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + उद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (प्रसन्नं उदं यस्य/यत्)

• कुण्डम्: pond
• कुण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नैर्मल्यदम्: granting purity/clarity
• नैर्मल्यदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैर्मल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नैर्मल्यं ददाति इति)

• नृणाम्: of people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prasannodā-kuṇḍa

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee beholds Prasannavadaneśa and their face becomes luminous and calm; then they walk north to a small pond (kuṇḍa) with clear water, lotuses, and steps, performing ācamana and quiet prayer.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)
• Prasannavadaneśa
• Prasannoda Kuṇḍa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred sight and sacred waters work together in Kāśī—darśana uplifts the heart, and tīrtha-water purifies the pilgrim.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prasannoda Kuṇḍa, situated north of Prasannavadaneśa, famed for granting purity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies tīrtha-contact (bathing/using the kuṇḍa) for purity and darśana of the liṅga for auspicious serenity.