Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

उपास्य संध्यां ज्ञानोदे यत्पापं काललोपजम् । क्षणेन तदपाकृत्य ज्ञानवाञ्जायते द्विजः

Transliteration

upāsya saṃdhyāṃ jñānode yatpāpaṃ kālalopajam | kṣaṇena tadapākṛtya jñānavāñjāyate dvijaḥ

Translation

เมื่อบำเพ็ญสันธยาอุปาสนา ณ ญาโนทา บาปที่เกิดจากการละเลยกาลอันควรย่อมถูกขจัดในพริบตา และทวิชะย่อมบังเกิดปัญญาแท้จริง

Word by Word

• उपास्य: having worshipped
• उपास्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), उपसर्गः उप-, क्रियाविशेषणभावः (having worshipped)

• संध्याम्: the twilight prayer (sandhyā)
• संध्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• ज्ञानोदे: at the rise of knowledge
• ज्ञानोदे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान-उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञानस्य उदयः)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• काललोपजम्: arising from neglect of time (omission at the proper time)
• काललोपजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल-लोप-ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (कालस्य लोपः → काललोपः; तस्मात् जातम्)

• क्षणेन: in a moment
• क्षणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अन्वयः पापम् इति

• अपाकृत्य: having removed
• अपाकृत्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-आ-कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), उपसर्गाः अप-आ-; क्रियाविशेषणभावः (having removed)

• ज्ञानवान्: knowledgeable
• ज्ञानवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञानवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गुणवाचक

• जायते: is born/becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• द्विजः: a twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jñānoda

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dvija at the riverbank in Kāśī performs Sandhyā: ācamana, arghya to Sūrya, japa; a subtle aura of light (jñāna) rises as dark stains of kāla-lopa dissolve.

Characters & Entities

• Jñānoda
• Sandhyā
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right practice in a sanctified place purifies even lapses in discipline and quickly awakens spiritual knowledge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Jñānoda Tīrtha in Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), praised for bestowing knowledge and rapid purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performing Sandhyā (Sandhyā-vandana/twilight worship) at Jñānoda.