Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अज्ञानतापसंतप्त प्राणिप्राणैकरक्षिभिः । पंचामृतानां कलशैः स्नपनातिफलप्रदैः

Transliteration

ajñānatāpasaṃtapta prāṇiprāṇaikarakṣibhiḥ | paṃcāmṛtānāṃ kalaśaiḥ snapanātiphalapradaiḥ

Translation

அறியாமையின் வெப்பத்தில் வாடும் உயிர்களின் உயிர்மூச்சைக் காக்கும் பஞ்சாமிர்தக் குடங்களால் அவன் அபிஷேகம் செய்தான்; அது அபிஷேகத்தால் மிகப் பெரிய பலன் அளிப்பது।

Word by Word

• अज्ञानतापसंतप्त: tormented by the heat of ignorance
• अज्ञानतापसंतप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + ताप (प्रातिपदिक) + संतप्त (कृदन्त; √तप्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (अज्ञानस्य तापेन संतप्तः); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (सम्बोधन/वर्णनार्थं)

• प्राणिप्राणैकरक्षिभिः: with (those) protecting the very life of creatures
• प्राणिप्राणैकरक्षिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (प्राणिनां प्राणान् एकेन रक्षन्ति ये); पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• पंचामृतानाम्: of the five nectars (pañcāmṛta)
• पंचामृतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या) + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च अमृतानि); नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• कलशैः: with pots
• कलशैः: Karana (Instrument/करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• स्नपनातिफलप्रदैः: granting exceedingly great fruit from bathing (ablution)
• स्नपनातिफलप्रदैः: Karana (Instrument/करणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नपन (प्रातिपदिक) + अति (अव्यय) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (स्नपनस्य अति-फलम् प्रददाति ये); पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Śiva-snāpana with pañcāmṛta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Golden pitchers filled with pañcāmṛta are lifted; streams of white, honeyed, and translucent liquids pour in layered ribbons during snāpana; the devotee’s face shows relief as the ‘heat of ignorance’ is visually rendered as fading red haze.

Characters & Entities

• Pañcāmṛta
• Śiva-liṅga
• Ajñāna (ignorance)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ignorance is a burning affliction; Śiva-abhiṣeka—especially with pañcāmṛta—symbolizes cooling, healing, and life-protecting grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), where liṅga-worship and abhiṣeka are praised as exceptionally merit-giving.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pañcāmṛta-snapana (pañcāmṛta abhiṣeka)—bathing the liṅga with the five nectars using kalaśas.