Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

वैशाखे जलकुंभांश्च कार्तिके घृतदीपकाः । माघे धान्य तिलोत्सर्गः स्वर्गलोके विशिष्यते

Transliteration

vaiśākhe jalakuṃbhāṃśca kārtike ghṛtadīpakāḥ | māghe dhānya tilotsargaḥ svargaloke viśiṣyate

Translation

వైశాఖమాసంలో జలకుంభదానం, కార్తీకమాసంలో ఘృతదీపార్పణం, మాఘమాసంలో ధాన్యము మరియు నువ్వుల దానం—ఇవి స్వర్గలోకంలో విశేష పుణ్యఫలప్రదమై అత్యుత్తమమవుతాయి।

Word by Word

• vaiśākhe: in (the month of) Vaiśākha
• vaiśākhe: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśākha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; कालवाचक-प्रयोगः (in the month of Vaiśākha)

• jalakuṃbhān: water-pots
• jalakuṃbhān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक) + kuṃbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम्; जलस्य कुंभाः (water-pots)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• kārtike: in (the month of) Kārtika
• kārtike: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; कालवाचकः (in Kārtika)

• ghṛtadīpakāḥ: ghee lamps
• ghṛtadīpakāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + dīpaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम्; घृतेन दīpakāḥ (ghee-lamps)

• māghe: in (the month of) Māgha
• māghe: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; कालवाचकः (in Māgha)

• dhānya: grain
• dhānya: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhānya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम्; समासपूर्वपदम् (grain)

• tilotsargaḥ: donation of sesame
• tilotsargaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tila (प्रातिपदिक) + utsarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; तिलानाम् उत्सर्गः (offering/donation of sesame)

• svargaloke: in heaven
• svargaloke: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; स्वर्गस्य लोके (in heaven)

• viśiṣyate: is especially distinguished/excels
• viśiṣyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-śiṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; अर्थः—विशेषेण श्रेष्ठो भवति (becomes especially distinguished)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (Gaṅgā-ghaṭa context implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kāśī ghat in early morning: pilgrims carrying water-pots for donation; at dusk rows of ghee-lamps glowing; in winter devotees offering sacks of grain and sesame to brāhmaṇas and the poor.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśākha
• Kārttika
• Māgha
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Aligning charity with sacred months magnifies puṇya; simple gifts like water, light, grain, and sesame become powerful dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs in the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s teaching context, supporting Kāśī’s dharma culture, though this particular line praises month-based dāna rather than a single tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Give water-pots in Vaiśākha, ghee-lamps in Kārttika, and grains with sesame in Māgha.