Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 140

Devanagari script

ज्ञानतीर्थं च तत्रैव ज्ञानदं सवर्दा नृणाम् । कृताभिषेकस्तत्तीर्थे दृष्ट्वा ज्ञानेश्वरं शिवम्

Transliteration

jñānatīrthaṃ ca tatraiva jñānadaṃ savardā nṛṇām | kṛtābhiṣekastattīrthe dṛṣṭvā jñāneśvaraṃ śivam

Translation

ਉਥੇ ਹੀ ਗਿਆਨ-ਤੀਰਥ ਹੈ, ਜੋ ਸਦਾ ਮਨੁੱਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਗਿਆਨ ਦਾਨ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ। ਉਸ ਤੀਰਥ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਭਿਸ਼ੇਕ/ਸਨਾਨ ਕਰਕੇ ਅਤੇ ਗਿਆਨੇਸ਼ਵਰ ਸ਼ਿਵ ਦਾ ਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ, ਮਨੁੱਖ ਨੂੰ ਬੁੱਧੀ-ਗਿਆਨ ਦੀ ਦਾਤ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• ज्ञानतीर्थम्: the ‘Knowledge’ sacred ford
• ज्ञानतीर्थम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समास: ज्ञानस्य तीर्थम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• ज्ञानदम्: knowledge-giving
• ज्ञानदम्: Karman (Object-Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञानद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समास: ज्ञानं ददाति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्तृ-तत्पुरुष)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: ‘at all times’)

• नृणाम्: of men / for people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Beneficiary/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कृताभिषेकः: one who has performed ablution/rite
• कृताभिषेकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ-धातु) + अभिषेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समास: कृतः अभिषेकः येन सः (तत्पुरुष; past passive participle ‘कृत’ from कृ)

• तत्-तीर्थे: in that tīrtha
• तत्-तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समास: तस्मिन् तीर्थे (सर्वनाम-तत्पुरुष)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (पूर्वकर्म/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); धातु: दृश् (1/भ्वादि)

• ज्ञानेश्वरम्: Lord of knowledge
• ज्ञानेश्वरम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समास: ज्ञानस्य ईश्वरः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karman (Apposition/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jñāna-tīrtha

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A clear tīrtha pool labeled Jñāna-tīrtha; a pilgrim performs abhiṣeka/snāna, then approaches a liṅga shrine where Śiva appears as Jñāneśvara, radiating calm light like a lamp of wisdom.

Characters & Entities

• Jñāna-tīrtha
• Jñāneśvara
• Śiva
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True knowledge is received through sacred contact—purifying baths and the vision of Śiva as the Lord of Wisdom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Jñāna-tīrtha in Kāśī, along with the form of Śiva known as Jñāneśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform abhiṣeka/snāna at Jñāna-tīrtha and take darśana of Jñāneśvara Śiva.