Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

अवग्रहपरिम्लाना वर्षासारैरिवौषधीः । पुनरालोकयांचक्रे ज्ञानदां ज्ञानवापिकाम्

Transliteration

avagrahaparimlānā varṣāsārairivauṣadhīḥ | punarālokayāṃcakre jñānadāṃ jñānavāpikām

Translation

ดุจพืชสมุนไพรที่เหี่ยวเฉาจากความแล้งแล้วฟื้นด้วยสายฝนแรก นางก็หันกลับไปเพ่งยัง “ญาณวาปี” บ่อน้ำศักดิ์สิทธิ์ผู้ประทานญาณรู้แจ้ง

Word by Word

• अवग्रह-परिम्लानाः: withered due to drought
• अवग्रह-परिम्लानाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + परिम्लान (कृदन्त; √म्लै (धातु))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘औषधीः’ इति पदस्य

• वर्षा-सारैः: by heavy rain-showers
• वर्षा-सारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण (instrument)

• इव: as if/like
• इव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• औषधीः: herbs/plants
• औषधीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औषधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्म (object)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• आलोकयाम्-चक्रे: looked again (beheld)
• आलोकयाम्-चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आलोकय (धातु; √लोक्/लोकय्)
• Form: लिट् (परिप्रास/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘चक्रे’ इति लिट्-रूपेण परिप्रासः (आलोकयामास/आलोकयांचक्रे = ‘looked again’)

• ज्ञान-दाम्: knowledge-giving
• ज्ञान-दाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √दा (धातु) ‘दातृ’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘ज्ञानवापिकाम्’ इति पदस्य

• ज्ञान-वापिकाम्: the knowledge-well (pond)
• ज्ञान-वापिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + वापिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa narration, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jñānavāpī

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (typical)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A drought-worn landscape of herbs suddenly refreshed by first monsoon drops; a woman turns with renewed radiance toward the sacred well of Jñānavāpī in Kāśī.

Characters & Entities

• Jñānavāpī
• Kāśī
• Kalāvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s tīrthas renew the seeker like rain revives herbs—awakening jñāna and spiritual vitality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Jñānavāpī in Kāśī (Vārāṇasī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated here; the verse highlights reverent approach and contemplation of Jñānavāpī.