Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

गंगावरणयोर्विष्णुः संभेदे स्वच्छमानसः । प्रक्षाल्य पाणिचरणं सचैलः स्नातवानथ

Transliteration

gaṃgāvaraṇayorviṣṇuḥ saṃbhede svacchamānasaḥ | prakṣālya pāṇicaraṇaṃ sacailaḥ snātavānatha

Translation

ഗംഗയും വരുണയും ചേരുന്ന സംഗമത്തിൽ, സ്വച്ഛമനസ്സുള്ള വിഷ്ണു കൈകാലുകൾ കഴുകി, പിന്നെ വസ്ത്രസഹിതം അവിടെ തന്നെ സ്നാനം ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• गङ्गावरणयोः: at (the confluence of) Gaṅgā and Varaṇa
• गङ्गावरणयोः: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा-अवरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी, द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व: गङ्गा च अवरणं च (Ganges and Varaṇa)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सम्भेदे: at the confluence/junction
• सम्भेदे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• स्वच्छमानसः: having a pure mind
• स्वच्छमानसः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वच्छ-मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: स्वच्छं मानसं यस्य (one whose mind is pure/clear)

• प्रक्षाल्य: having washed
• प्रक्षाल्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-√क्षल् (कृदन्त; √क्षल् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय — 'having washed'

• पाणिचरणम्: hands and feet
• पाणिचरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि-चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (समाहार): पाणि च चरणौ च (hands and feet collectively)

• सचैलः: clothed (with garments on)
• सचैलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-चैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: चैलेन सहितः (wearing clothes)

• स्नातवान्: bathed
• स्नातवान्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्ना (कृदन्त; √स्ना धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त — 'bathed'

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Sequencing/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā–Varaṇā Saṅgama

Type: sangam

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the meeting of Gaṅgā and Varaṇā, Viṣṇu calmly washes hands and feet and bathes, clothed; the waters are clear, with gentle ripples, and the confluence is marked by subtle color/flow difference.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Gaṅgā
• Varaṇā
• Vārāṇasī (implied by river-names)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approaching a tīrtha with purity of mind and respectful preparation sanctifies the pilgrim’s journey.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gaṅgā–Varaṇā confluence in the Kāśī region (Vārāṇasī), a key marker of sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrtha-snāna at the confluence: first wash hands and feet, then bathe (snāna) with reverence.