Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

शिवतीर्थमिदं प्रोक्तं ज्ञानतीर्थमिदं शुभम् । तारकाख्यमिदं तीर्थं मोक्षतीर्थमिदं धुवम्

Transliteration

śivatīrthamidaṃ proktaṃ jñānatīrthamidaṃ śubham | tārakākhyamidaṃ tīrthaṃ mokṣatīrthamidaṃ dhuvam

Translation

สถานศักดิ์สิทธิ์นี้ได้ประกาศว่าเป็นศิวะตีรถะ; สถานมงคลนี้เป็นตีรถะแห่งญาณ ตีรถะนี้เลื่องชื่อว่า ‘ตารกะ’ และเป็นตีรถะประทานโมกษะโดยแท้

Word by Word

• शिवतीर्थम्: Śiva’s sacred ford
• शिवतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य तीर्थम्)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देशक

• प्रोक्तम्: is declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रियाविशेषण-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थः (said/declared)

• ज्ञानतीर्थम्: the knowledge-ford
• ज्ञानतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञानस्य तीर्थम्)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तारकाख्यम्: named ‘Tāraka’
• तारकाख्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तारक-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (तारक इति आख्यं यस्य)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तीर्थम्: sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मोक्षतीर्थम्: the liberation-ford
• मोक्षतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (मोक्षस्य तीर्थम्)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certain/firm
• ध्रुवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tāraka (Jñānoda)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A single tirtha is shown as fourfold: Śiva-linga presence, a radiant ‘knowledge’ light, a guiding star/boat motif for Tāraka, and an open gateway symbolizing mokṣa; pilgrims bow at the water’s edge.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Jñānoda
• Tāraka
• Mokṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A single Kāśī tīrtha can embody multiple powers—Śiva’s presence, knowledge, and liberation—when approached with faith and discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Jñānoda/Tāraka tīrtha in Kāśī, explicitly praised as a Śiva-tīrtha and mokṣa-tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse primarily assigns names and salvific status to the tīrtha.