Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

तीर्थस्नानेन जप्येन परोपकरणोक्तिभिः । विनार्थं लभ्यते धर्मो धर्मादर्थः स्वयं भवेत्

Transliteration

tīrthasnānena japyena paropakaraṇoktibhiḥ | vinārthaṃ labhyate dharmo dharmādarthaḥ svayaṃ bhavet

Translation

ତୀର୍ଥସ୍ନାନ, ଜପ ଏବଂ ପରୋପକାରୀ ବଚନ ଦ୍ୱାରା କୌଣସି ସାଂସାରିକ ବ୍ୟୟ ବିନା ଧର୍ମ ଲଭ୍ୟ ହୁଏ; ଧର୍ମରୁ ଅର୍ଥ-ସମୃଦ୍ଧି ସ୍ୱୟଂ ଜନ୍ମେ।

Word by Word

• तीर्थस्नानेन: by bathing at a sacred ford
• तीर्थस्नानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ-स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थस्य स्नानम्)

• जप्येन: by recitation (japa)
• जप्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप्य (कृदन्त; √जप् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कृदन्त (यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त), ‘जपनीयम्/जपः’ अर्थे

• परोपकरणोक्तिभिः: by words that help others
• परोपकरणोक्तिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-उपकरण-उक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः: परोपकरण (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘परस्य उपकरणम्’) + उक्तिः (तत्पुरुषः)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; वियोगार्थक (without)

• अर्थम्: wealth, material gain
• अर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• लभ्यते: is obtained
• लभ्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपदम्

• धर्मः: dharma, merit
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• धर्मात्: from dharma
• धर्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• अर्थः: wealth
• अर्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्वयम्: of itself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्वयंकर्तृवाचक (by itself)

• भवेत्: would arise, comes to be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśī-khaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā-tīrthas of Kāśī (ghāṭa tīrthas)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Morning at a Kāśī ghat: pilgrims bathe at the ford, a devotee counts japa beads, and another offers kind counsel to a weary traveler—three simple acts forming a single dharmic tableau.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha
• Kāśī
• Vārāṇasī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is accessible through simple sacred acts and serviceful speech, and it naturally yields well-being.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Tīrthas in general within the Kāśī sacred landscape; the chapter context is Kāśī-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrtha-snāna (ritual bathing) and japa (mantra repetition), along with beneficial speech/service.