Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

गंगा हि सर्वभूतानामिहामुत्र फलप्रदा । भावानुरूपतो विष्णो सदा सर्वजगद्धिता

Transliteration

gaṃgā hi sarvabhūtānāmihāmutra phalapradā | bhāvānurūpato viṣṇo sadā sarvajagaddhitā

Translation

Tunay ngang ang Gaṅgā ay nagbibigay ng bunga sa lahat ng nilalang—dito at sa kabilang-buhay. O Viṣṇu, ayon sa loob at pag-uugali ng tao, ipinagkakaloob niya ang nararapat, laging para sa kapakanan ng buong daigdig.

Word by Word

• गङ्गा: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• सर्वभूतानाम्: of all beings
• सर्वभूतानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वभूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सर्व + भूत)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• अमुत्र: there (in the other world)
• अमुत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अमुत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place: there/other world)

• फलप्रदा: bestowing fruits/results
• फलप्रदा: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फलप्रदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (फल + प्रदा)

• भावानुरूपतः: according to one’s disposition
• भावानुरूपतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भावानुरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverbial -tas); समासः—तत्पुरुष (भाव + अनुरूप)

• विष्णो: O Viṣṇu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• सर्वजगद्धिता: beneficial to the whole world
• सर्वजगद्धिता: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वजगद्धिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्व + जगत् + हिता)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa often Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṅgā personified as a luminous goddess flowing through the worlds, offering boons to diverse beings—ascetics, householders, the poor, and pilgrims—each receiving a different ‘fruit’ matching their bhāva; Viṣṇu is invoked as witness.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Gaṅgā’s grace is universal and yields results in this life and the next, shaped by the devotee’s inner intention (bhāva).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā herself as a living tīrtha whose benefits extend across worlds.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is mandated; the verse stresses bhāva (devotional intention) as the key factor in receiving Gaṅgā’s fruits.