Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

तदंबुपानतो भूयात्सुपार्वण शशिप्रभः । तरुणो रूपसंपन्नः कोशोन्मुक्तोरगो यथा

Transliteration

tadaṃbupānato bhūyātsupārvaṇa śaśiprabhaḥ | taruṇo rūpasaṃpannaḥ kośonmuktorago yathā

Translation

ते पाणी पिल्याने तो पुन्हा चंद्रासारखा तेजस्वी झाला; तरुण व रूपवान—जणू कात टाकून मुक्त झालेला सर्प।

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Determiner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी/प्रथमा? (समासपूर्वपद), एकवचन; here as determiner in compound “tad-ambu-pāna”

• अम्बु: water
• अम्बु: Sambandha (Compound member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, (समासपूर्वपद) एकवचन; “water”

• पानतः: from drinking
• पानतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (हेतु/अपादान), एकवचन; “from/through drinking”

• भूयात्: may become
• भूयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (आशीर्लिङ्-प्राय), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; “may become”

• सुपार्वण: O Supārvaṇa
• सुपार्वण: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + पार्वण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (सु-पार्वण), पुंलिङ्गे, संबोधन, एकवचन; “O good one (named Supārvaṇa)”

• शशिप्रभः: moon-bright
• शशिप्रभः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शशि + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (शशेः प्रभा यस्य/शशि-प्रभ), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; “moon-lustrous”

• तरुणः: young
• तरुणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; “young”

• रूपसंपन्नः: handsome
• रूपसंपन्नः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप + संपन्न (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (रूप-सम्पन्न), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; “endowed with beauty”

• कोशोन्मुक्तः: freed from its slough
• कोशोन्मुक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोश + उन्मुक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (कोशात् उन्मुक्त), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; “freed from the sheath (slough)”

• उरगः: a snake
• उरगः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; “snake”

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक अव्यय (comparative particle: “as/like”)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (kūpa-jala episode)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages / audience of the Kāśī-māhātmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The ascetic, moments ago frail, now stands youthful and luminous, moon-bright; discarded signs of age appear like a shed skin, echoing the serpent freed from its slough; onlookers gaze in astonishment near the well.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛddha-tāpasa (transformed ascetic)
• Supārvaṇa (addressed figure/name as in verse)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In sacred Kāśī, grace can swiftly transform condition and destiny; service becomes a catalyst for divine renewal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s sanctifying power is implied through the miraculous change occurring within its narrative space.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse illustrates the spiritual potency of compassionate service and sacred context.