Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

संसारमोचकश्चाहं जनानामनुकंपया । गंगातरंगरूपेण सोपानं निर्ममे दिवः

Transliteration

saṃsāramocakaścāhaṃ janānāmanukaṃpayā | gaṃgātaraṃgarūpeṇa sopānaṃ nirmame divaḥ

Translation

مخلوقات پر رحمت کے سبب میں نے سنسار سے نجات دینے والا روپ دھارا، اور گنگا کی لہروں کو آسمان تک جانے والی سیڑھی بنا دیا۔

Word by Word

• संसारमोचकः: liberator from saṃsāra
• संसारमोचकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार-मोचक (प्रातिपदिक; संसार + मोचक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

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

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• जनानाम्: of people
• जनानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• अनुकम्पया: with compassion
• अनुकम्पया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुकम्पा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• गङ्गातरङ्गरूपेण: in the form of Ganga’s waves
• गङ्गातरङ्गरूपेण: Karana (Means/form/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा-तरङ्ग-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; गङ्गा + तरङ्ग + रूप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; प्रकारवाचक-तृतीया (in the form of)

• सोपानम्: a stairway, steps
• सोपानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोपान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• निर्ममे: made, fashioned
• निर्ममे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मा (धातु) (माने/मिमीत इति; here ‘to make/measure out’) + निर् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन

• दिवः: of heaven
• दिवः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (द्यौः), षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Jāhnavī) in Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-seeking interlocutor(s) within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṅgā’s waves rise like luminous steps; above them a faint celestial pathway opens, suggesting ascent to svarga; devotees stand at the water’s edge in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Svarga (Heaven)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Gaṅgā is portrayed as a compassionate divine means for liberation, elevating beings beyond worldly bondage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gaṅgā, especially in her Kāśī context, as a saving and elevating tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, reverent approach to the Gaṅgā—her waves themselves are praised as salvific; bathing and devotional contact are suggested by the imagery.